WADESBORO — Anson Crisis Ministry has been providing essential services, like food distribution and utility assistance, to Anson County’s most vulnerable citizens since 1993.
Recent layoffs, resulting from both Walmart’s closure as well as financial fallout from COVID-19, has increased the demand for food while also limiting the number of volunteers able to assist them.
“While many of our elderly and disabled clients are staying home, they have been replaced by the recently laid off,” said Margot Barnes, Anson Crisis Ministries Director. “At this point in time we are a food bank. We don’t have any extra funds to help anybody with rent or utilities … Right now, we are just concentrating on keeping food flowing through.”
Normally, Anson Crisis Ministry receives food donations from a number of churches. These donations have since dried up because fewer people are going out to shop for food other than for their household.
They also pick up six pallets of food donations from Second Harvest Metrolina in Charlotte every Thursday. Those donations are distributed to the community on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday every week from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Every precaution is being undertaken by Anson Crisis Ministry during the food distribution process to keep their staff and clients safe. They are not bringing their clients into the building but are sending them around outside to pick up the food.
Clients wishing to pick up food from Anson Crisis Ministry must inform the Ministry of how many people are in their household and give a rough approximation of their income. “If your income is zero because you’re laid off, that’s all you tell us,” said Barnes.
Under normal circumstances, those wishing to receive food come in to be interviewed in a process that takes about five minutes. They have to fill out if they get food stamps, the names, and ages of the people in their household, and their income levels.
Individuals also have to list whether or not they receive disability or social security payments as well as their employment status and who they allow to pick up food for them if they are unable to themselves, due to illness or employment obligations.
Those who register to receive food from Anson Crisis Ministry can receive it once a month, every month. “They don’t have to count 30 days, it just has to be a different month,” said Barnes.
The Ministry also partners with the Anson-East Union Mobile Food Pantry to distribute food each month. Methodist and Baptist preachers from the area assist the Ministry with food distribution.
The Mobile Food Pantry goes from Wingate to Lilesville and is generally held on the first Wednesday of the month at the participating churches in a rotating schedule.
COVID-19 has not only increased the demand for food at Anson Crisis Ministry, but it has also greatly decreased the number of their volunteers. “We have a number of older volunteers whose children have said they aren’t to go out of the house. They are to stay at home and not come here,” said Barnes. “So, we are strapped for volunteers now.”
The ministry is looking for younger, healthy, and strong people to volunteer. “Particularly younger men who can lift 40-pound boxes,” said Barnes. They can volunteer anyway that is convenient for them, even if its only once a week.
In addition to volunteering, people wishing to help support Anson Crisis Ministry can make monetary donations or drop off food, clothing, household items, and furniture at the Ministry.
