If you ask members of Grace what drew them to the church, more likely than not, you’ll hear about The Food Pantry. The Food Pantry provides a very tangible way for us to show our love for our neighbors. One memorable interpretation about the Sermon on the Mount told that the miracle wasn’t just of the loaves and fishes but of the sharing of food. Food insecurity was known even in Jesus’ time and food was for the immediate family, but quite often not enough to share with others.
 

Today you see it every day on social media – people not knowing how they are going to feed their family because they had to pay the rent or a utility bill. Today, one in seven Americans suffer from food insecurity. It is estimated in Sangamon County that translates to over 27,000 people.
 

There is no wonder that The Food Pantry has seen a 50% increase in households served over 2021. Your generosity, as well as the generosity of other partners, has provided for so much this year - but expenses are running higher. We want to provide not just our normal non-perishables, but continue to provide milk, eggs and bread. For many of our pantry clients it is more than the food that we are providing them. We know their names. We give them big smiles and helping hands. We give them the ability to persevere and have faith in God and their neighbors.
 

The Giving with Grace! 2023 Stewardship Appeal has a goal of increasing offerings by $40,926. Some of these offerings will be used to close the gap between giving and expenses within the Food Pantry. Pray for a generous response and please prayerfully consider increasing your offering for the coming
year. With your help we can continue to make a difference.