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Jefferson County's meal gap is 1,012,000. Mobile Lifehouse food pantry is changing that

Lifehouse Ministries is making sure the community is well taken care of. Mobile food pantry events and worship services nourish those who need it most.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A local mobile food pantry and ministry is trying to close the meal gap in Jefferson County. It offers free meals clothing, and worship to those who need it most.

Every helping hand and each box of food helps people like John Wilhoit survive.

"Well I'm disabled and money's tight and I just need the groceries," Wilhoit explained at the mobile food pantry in November.

He's been coming to the Mobile Lifehouse food pantry at Jefferson Middle School religiously for six months. He travels from Cocke County to receive the resources.

"They treat you more like family than just another person in need," Wilhoit said.

When Nick Oakes and his family first had the vision for this mobile food pantry in Jefferson County, they didn't have all the answers. Just faith.

"It's about taking steps to allow God to shape what we're doing," Oakes said.

The Oakes family even sold their house to make their dream a reality.

"We felt like we needed to unload debt so that we could focus on doing this. We really knew that in the beginning especially that paying for this was gonna have to come from our pockets," Oakes admitted.

The volunteers focus on providing care through clothing, toys and toiletries. They give nourishment through food and worship.

Joshua Moore, the pastor at Grace Community Church, represents one of the dozen local churches who volunteer with Lifehouse Ministries to give back to the community.

"There's just a joy you see on people's faces that when it lights up, knowing that you've met a need that they have," Moore smiled.

The nonprofit partners with local churches, businesses and Second Harvest to help close the meal gap in Jefferson County. They rely heavily on donations.

The meal gap equals about 1,012,000 meals according to Second Harvest.

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"There's a lot of depravity, a lot of people that don't have the resources or means or the jobs that are in other surrounding counties, and so it means a lot to be able to pour back into the place that you love," Moore explained.

For Wilhoit, this program is a prayer answered.

"It's been a blessing and it's God's work," Wilhoit admitted.

The Mobile Lifehouse food pantries happen once a month. The next one is planned for Dec. 21 at Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson City.

To receive food and resources from the mobile food pantry, all you have to do is show up and provide an address and phone number.

Lifehouse Ministries also offers times to drop off donations. You can see a full schedule of events and find out how to donate your money, items or time on their website TheMobileLifehouse.weebly.com.



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