For five years, Veronica and Eric Smoke have served individuals, families and veterans in the Birmingham area through the Leaf Pantry and Urban Farm at Faith Church in Midfield.
“This is ground zero for food insecurity,” said Eric Smoke.
The ministry seeks to help meet needs by providing fresh, healthy food and pointing their neighbors to Christ. All the work is done by volunteers, Smoke said.
‘Big picture’
“We’re selective about how we go about [recruiting] volunteers. We’re intentional about how things are put out. The big picture is about a change in quality of life,” he said.
The Smokes run a transportation business which aids in distribution of food for the ministry at the church. Smoke said they emphasize reclaiming dignity and the Golden Rule.
Eight appointments are offered every 15 minutes starting at 8 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month.
Once clients are called back for their appointment, they are given a list of what meats are available and make choices from that list. They are then led through a “store” where they can shop for items such as breakfast cereal, soups, vegetables and fruits, hygiene and toiletry items, and other household items, including food and toys for pets.
There is also a clothing area, as well as a table highlighting resources in the area for a variety of needs.
Pop-up market
The pantry also offers His Table Pop-up Market each Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tables and tents are set up outside the church, and clients are able to choose from many breads and pastries, along with fresh fruits and vegetables.
The offerings vary depending on availability. Throughout the market, trucks are delivering goods to be distributed at the weekly and monthly events.
A farm stand was built on the property recently to offer more opportunities to serve the community. A young man pursuing Eagle Scout status through Scouting America completed the project. The church now uses two buildings and the farm stand. They also have an urban farm with help from the Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham.
Faith Church has another building they are planning to convert so at least the first floor can be used for the pantry. The campus has expanded, adding another church building and parsonage from a church that closed. Plans are for those facilities to be used for various outreaches, including a computer/technology center and a coffee station that could offer some daytime relief from the elements.
“A pop-up for us is Scripture in real time,” Eric said. “We try to be fully sustainable.”
Neither Eric nor Veronica is retired. They both work full time. She is a nurse at UAB, and he runs Way to Go Courier. They work the food ministry around their schedules because the ministry matters to them.
The Smokes are invigorated by the work of the pantry/urban farm.
“This is the special forces,” he said of the ministry and the volunteers.
He noted the pantry’s specific outreach to veterans as being especially meaningful. Smoke said one of the veterans exclaimed, “You guys care about us,” because the ministry met specific needs.
Wish list
Two items on the ministry’s wish list are a compact tractor with a bush hog and loader bucket to help with maintaining the grounds and the garden and a golf cart to help move people and supplies around the campus.
For more information, visit TheLeafPantry.org.
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