Going Strong!

During the past year, Heaven’s Grocer has continued “serving needs in our own backyard” by means of our regularly scheduled food deliveries. Three days a week, we deliver foods contributed by Christian Help and Fresh Start to needy families, seniors and disabled persons in Winter Park and the surrounding community.

In January, Pastor Dave’s wife Rachel created our new “Bowl of Living Food” logo and service motto. Together, they have since become the colorful signage on the delivery van, which, when not in use, is parked at the Oaks Apartments on Denning Drive @ Webster. Otherwise we are be seen on the streets of Winter Park community as we make our deliveries!

Early last year, Pastor Dave’s dad, Jackson, became our regularly scheduled van driver. He has since taken on vehicle maintenance and some other food ministry administrative work.

On February 15th, our food ministry was incorporated as Heaven’s Grocer Ministries, Inc. a nonprofit Florida corporation. It has since applied for its IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. We should receive the IRS’ tax exempt status letter of determination in about 120 days. In the meantime Heaven’s Grocer will continue to operate as an charitable activity of the Church of the Resurrection and accordingly, to accept charitable contributions under the Church’s status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Late last year, we reassessed our mission and decided that we could receive and distribute greater amounts of food by delivering to an additional Winter Park church benevolence pantry and a Winter Park low income assisted living facility. They, in turn, have begun to pass on their surplus food stores to others in need. Miraculously, as we began to make these additional deliveries, the amount of food we received began to increase. A year ago our suppliers typical gave us 20 to 45 boxes of food at each pick-up. Now we pick up 45 to 75 boxes each day! We continue to express our clients’ gratitude for these additional supplies, and assure our suppliers that every bit of their food will be joyously received and eagerly used. With that, we seem to receive even more, and an even greater variety of high quality foods. We estimate that, in the past year, the average amount of food we deliver weekly has increased from less than 1000 pounds to more than 2000 pounds! Our suppliers are even beginning to ask us to make unscheduled pick-ups. We do so eagerly and joyously.

The Mary Martha Study Group of the First United Methodist Church continues to support our food ministry by supplying much needed household supplies and toiletries to our clients. The Oaks Apartments (where I live) has been the site of welcomed Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Many of our needy children have received their Christmas gifts because of these generous ladies. We are all blessed by their benevolence and spirited support.