St. Stephen’s Church in Ferguson, Missouri, seeks community donations to keep its food pantry open as demand rises

St. Stephen’s & The Vine Episcopal Church in Ferguson, Missouri, has provided food aid to its community for more than 50 years. According to one report, the church’s food bank operates on Tuesday and Saturday mornings, offering essential food and supplies. A second report describes the pantry as offered twice a month, and it serves about 60 people each week.

Both reports say demand rose after federal changes to SNAP benefits. One report says federal reductions to SNAP last year increased demand at the food bank. The other describes the end of SNAP benefits as the cause of increased demand. Volunteer shoppers told the second outlet that the weekly grocery bill has risen by $100 since last year.

The pantry’s finances came under further strain this summer. Both of the church’s air conditioning systems broke down at the same time, according to one report. The second report says two air conditioning systems recently failed, resulting in a significant bill. That report adds that the church has no reserve or endowment to cover such costs.

In late July, the Rev. Teresa Danieley, a part-time Interim Priestess who leads the pantry, launched a GoFundMe campaign to maintain its food assistance. The second report lists the campaign’s goal as $2,000 to replenish the shelves. Danieley said the pantry now serves at least 75 people every day it is open, up from about 50 on Tuesday mornings before the SNAP cuts. Volunteers continued serving families through the repairs and rising costs, an example of charity and hospitality (Matthew 25:35).

The second report says donations of $50 can keep canned goods available for two weeks, and $400 would sustain the pantry for an entire week. The first report says the church’s average weekly operating expenditure is $500.

As of September 18, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $20,300. At the average weekly operating expenditure of $500, the report says, that amount would sustain the pantry for about nine months, excluding additional emergencies.