Has there ever been a time in your life when you did not have or could not provide ample food for yourself or your family? Have you ever needed a place to take a warm shower or had to count change to buy diapers?
The Bread Shed is a local non-profit organization that has been a blessing to Poplar Bluff for more than 12 years providing some of these necessities, and now they need the community’s help.
“The need is growing,” said Chris Kellums, Bread Shed Director. “We need to be able to grow with it to be able to meet those demands, but our mission is just to help, to show love,” he continued.
According to Kellums, the organization feeds about 300 people each week, but that is not all the non-profit takes part in. The charity has a monthly diaper pantry that assists new and struggling mothers and low-income families with the expense of diapers. They offer senior food boxes, which is a nutritional program geared toward senior citizens to assist with food, as well as a mobile shower unit. Along with these things the Bread Shed serves a free meal every Sunday that is open to anyone, after the meal they offer praise and worship services.
“I was not sure how I was going to keep the lights on,” said one Wayne County resident who has depended on the Bread Shed for food distribution during recent difficult times.
The local resident that asked not to be named stated that the food pantry had been a “lifesaver for her family,” even though she stated she felt slightly embarrassed that she needed the services. But she is not alone in her plight.
According to the USDA, there are more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, that are food insecure in the United States.
Food insecurity does not mean people don’t have food, it means that they don’t have enough food. With the rising costs of things many have had to make sacrifices, which is why these programs are so important.
The Bread Shed operates entirely on donations from the public and individuals who want to assist others in need. Kellums wants residents to know that while the charity receives assistance with senior food boxes and the Sunday service meal the majority of the food they are providing to the community has to be purchased and paid for by the organization.
“We’re feeding more each week and we have to purchase our truck from the food banks. Most of what we get and give out is not free,” said Kellums.
Due to the rising need in the area the Bread Shed is now offering anyone interested the opportunity to become a patron, “A $200 monthly contribution, businesses or even a person if they want to (become a patron) do that, we will put a 3-by-8 (foot) banner on the building in appreciation for becoming a supporter of our mission,” said Kellums.
If a monetary donation is not possible the organization will always take donations of other items, as he expressed a need for things like clean socks and underwear for the mobile shower unit, diapers, soap and hygiene items.
The Bread Shed has been assisting the community for many years and is a very utilized and needed charity, serving as many as 40,000 people in the area every year and that number is growing.
It is the hope of Kellums and others that take part in and depend on the Bread Shed that the community will rally around them as they have in the past, according to Kellums, and help them continue to serve the community.
“That is our mission, to spread the love of Jesus Christ and let them know that there’s somebody out here that cares and can show them hope.”
It truly does “take a village.”
If you are interested in donating or volunteering please call the Bread Shed at (573)712-6597, email them at donate.breadshed@gmail.com or check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/breadshed.