Hancock County Food Pantry
About the Food Pantry:
The Hancock County Food Pantry is a state chartered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1986 by area churches. The Pantry's one and only mission has always been to provide food and personal hygiene products for people living in Hancock County, MS, who have an immediate "crisis or emergency" need for the assistance we can provide. Since opening its doors in 1986, the Food Pantry has provided assistance to over 239,000 Hancock County citizens. Typical clients include those living on a fixed income, persons out of work, those who are living at or below poverty level and those who are unable to provide for their families.
The Hancock County Food Pantry is the only full-time food pantry in Hancock County, MS, and is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon every business day, except holidays. The Food Pantry is operated entirely by volunteers--there is no paid staff. Over 100 volunteers staff our food distribution warehouse and intake offices. Over 91% of the donations received are spent to provide food to those in need.
What the Food Pantry Does:
The Hancock County Food Pantry provides free food once every 90 days (once every 30 days to families that have a head of household over the age of 60) to any family living in Hancock County that comes to the Food Pantry for help as long as their income level is below the poverty level as defined by the MS TEFAP program. This assistance is intended as a supplement since the amount of food the Food Pantry provides will usually help for only a couple of weeks. The Food Pantry serves all families that come for help regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability or national origin. Since opening its doors in 1986, the Food Pantry has provided free food to over 243,000 individuals during 98,000 family visits. During 2015 the Hancock County Food Pantry spent $167,749 purchasing non-perishable from three local grocers and also received 29,953 lbs. of free USDA food from the MS TEFAP program, 58,682 lbs. of donated food from the local community and 119,073 lbs. of recovered food from two local retail grocers and two nearby military commissaries and redistributed all of this free food at no cost to 7,003 families in need.
How You Can Help:
With the continued large number of families needing assistance from the Hancock County Food Pantry and the increased cost of purchased food (2015 food cost was more than double the cost in 2004), the Food Pantry depends on continuing support from the community. In 2015, financial contributions from the community (churches, civic groups, businesses and individuals) provided approximately 45% of the Food Pantry's total income. Donated food from community food drives is also important to our ability to help families. In 2015, the Food Pantry received 58,682 lbs. of donated food from the local community including 25, 980 lbs. from individuals, 10,050 lbs. from businesses, 13,440 lbs. from schools, 6,900 lbs. from churches and 2,300 lbs. from civic groups. About 35% of all food items the Hancock County Food Pantry currently provides to families is donated or recovered food received from all sources. If you would like to join in supporting the Hancock County Food Pantry, please send financial contributions to P.O. Box 4313, Bay St. Louis, MS 39521 or through PayPal on the Food Pantry's web site: www.hancockcountyfoodpantry.org.
The Hancock County Food Pantry is a state chartered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1986 by area churches. The Pantry's one and only mission has always been to provide food and personal hygiene products for people living in Hancock County, MS, who have an immediate "crisis or emergency" need for the assistance we can provide. Since opening its doors in 1986, the Food Pantry has provided assistance to over 239,000 Hancock County citizens. Typical clients include those living on a fixed income, persons out of work, those who are living at or below poverty level and those who are unable to provide for their families.
The Hancock County Food Pantry is the only full-time food pantry in Hancock County, MS, and is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon every business day, except holidays. The Food Pantry is operated entirely by volunteers--there is no paid staff. Over 100 volunteers staff our food distribution warehouse and intake offices. Over 91% of the donations received are spent to provide food to those in need.
What the Food Pantry Does:
The Hancock County Food Pantry provides free food once every 90 days (once every 30 days to families that have a head of household over the age of 60) to any family living in Hancock County that comes to the Food Pantry for help as long as their income level is below the poverty level as defined by the MS TEFAP program. This assistance is intended as a supplement since the amount of food the Food Pantry provides will usually help for only a couple of weeks. The Food Pantry serves all families that come for help regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability or national origin. Since opening its doors in 1986, the Food Pantry has provided free food to over 243,000 individuals during 98,000 family visits. During 2015 the Hancock County Food Pantry spent $167,749 purchasing non-perishable from three local grocers and also received 29,953 lbs. of free USDA food from the MS TEFAP program, 58,682 lbs. of donated food from the local community and 119,073 lbs. of recovered food from two local retail grocers and two nearby military commissaries and redistributed all of this free food at no cost to 7,003 families in need.
How You Can Help:
With the continued large number of families needing assistance from the Hancock County Food Pantry and the increased cost of purchased food (2015 food cost was more than double the cost in 2004), the Food Pantry depends on continuing support from the community. In 2015, financial contributions from the community (churches, civic groups, businesses and individuals) provided approximately 45% of the Food Pantry's total income. Donated food from community food drives is also important to our ability to help families. In 2015, the Food Pantry received 58,682 lbs. of donated food from the local community including 25, 980 lbs. from individuals, 10,050 lbs. from businesses, 13,440 lbs. from schools, 6,900 lbs. from churches and 2,300 lbs. from civic groups. About 35% of all food items the Hancock County Food Pantry currently provides to families is donated or recovered food received from all sources. If you would like to join in supporting the Hancock County Food Pantry, please send financial contributions to P.O. Box 4313, Bay St. Louis, MS 39521 or through PayPal on the Food Pantry's web site: www.hancockcountyfoodpantry.org.