Deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Food Pantry Ministry of the First Baptist Church of Milton combined efforts in order to provide grocery items to Santa Rosa County residents in need.
On Wednesday morning, deputies arrived at the church’s food pantry in order to load meal boxes full of bread, canned vegetables, frozen meats, a gallon of milk and other essential grocery items into their patrol vehicles.
SRSO Public Information Officer Rich Aloy said the boxes will be taken to district offices throughout the county in order to be dispersed amongst those who are unable to leave their homes. Aloy said this is first time the sheriff’s office has worked with the local church in providing for those in need.
“We have been planning this since after Thanksgiving,” Aloy said. “It is great way for us to give back to the community.”
In addition to the boxes of food, deputies also received toy donations from Mattress Firm in Pace, which will also be distributed to area families in need.
Major Bob Johnson said now is the perfect time of year to collaborate with the church in providing for a community need.
“We go out into each of districts all over the county and deal with people all of the time,” Johnson said. “Usually, when they see us it is usually not under good circumstances; so we get a chance to actually go out and bring them something that will help get them through the holidays.”
Marian Spooner, the director of the church’s food pantry, hopes this will be the first of many collaborative efforts with the sheriff’s office.
“We are excited about that,” she said.
Spooner, who has served as the food pantry’s director for the past four years, said the providing food items for the cause did not create any burden for the church pantry.
“This church has the biggest heart for the food pantry,” Spooner said. “I have never run short of donations or funds in order to do what we need.”
On average, the food pantry will see around 600 families a month, Spooner said.
With support from many church volunteers, Spooner said she feels privileged to provide such a needed service to the community.
“It is such an awesome thing,” she said. “This is not a burden for me, I enjoy it.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Sheriff's office, local food pantry combine efforts for residents in need