In a time when inflation has made it more difficult to afford food, the Pike Outreach Food Pantry continues to provide food to hungry individuals and families.
Currently, the pantry is serving 400-plus households per week, according to Pike Outreach Operations Manager Sherre’ Kinnison. A household can be one person or multiple people depending on the living situation.
An opportunity to make a difference in a large way is on the horizon, as Pike Outreach’s 39th Annual Hunger Walk is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 15, beginning and ending at Waverly First Baptist Church, 303 E. Third Street, Waverly, OH 45690.
Participants can begin assembling around 1 p.m. with the parade/walk starting around 2 p.m. Refreshments have been donated for after the walk, which will include pulled pork sandwiches, chips and water.
The one-mile walk, led by the Waverly High School Marching Band, goes through Waverly, with stops for prayer at Bridgehaven and the new Pike Outreach center, and then back to the starting point at First Baptist Church. A parade of other organizations and individuals will follow the walkers on the road. Those who are unable to walk the one-mile route are still welcome to come to the event.
Specifically, walkers will begin behind First Baptist Church and proceed down Second Street for three blocks in the direction of the Pike County Courthouse. There will be a pause for prayer in front of the Bridgehaven Homeless Shelter. Then walkers will turn left on Lock Street, go one block, turn right on Third Street, and veer left on Bridge Street for another stop for prayer in front of the current Pike Outreach Food Pantry at 306 Bridge Street. From there, the walk will continue to a left turn on Fifth Street and go three blocks. The next left will be at South East Street, which will lead everyone three blocks back to First Baptist Church.
Last year’s walk brought in approximately $5,000 and more than 2,000 non-perishable food items. The west side of Pike County was well represented as Western students collected more than 1,700 donations in a weeklong battle of the grades.
Each year the Pike Outreach Food Pantry provides thousands of meals to Pike County residents and they are asking for your help in the form of non-perishable food and hygiene items and/or a cash donation to help stock the shelves for Pike County. The Pike Outreach Hunger Walk remains the top annual fundraising event for the pantry and shelter.
All proceeds generated by this walk will be utilized locally to help those in need of food and/or shelter. This is typically the largest fundraiser of the year for Pike Outreach. Monetary donations and non-perishable food items are welcome and encouraged.
Funding is becoming more challenging for Pike Outreach with increasing costs and increasing needs.
In order for all of the programs offered through Pike Outreach to continue, the organization is going to need a large increase in financial support.
Cash, check or food donations are accepted by Pike Outreach all year to meet ongoing needs of Pike County people. The pantry is located at 306 Bridge Street, Waverly, Ohio 45690 in the former Heritage Nazarene Church building. Plastic bags are also accepted for patrons who are using the pantry to carry their food. Those bags can be donated in person or dropped off in a bin near the doorway in the parking lot.
There are other ways to help. When shopping at both Kroger and Walmart in Waverly, individuals are invited to round up to an even amount with the proceeds from rounding up going to the pantry. Paying online is also an option for tech-savvy people. Visit the Pike County Outreach website at pikeoutreach.org to donate through the website, PayPal, or by text at 44-321.
Please call Pike Outreach at (740) 947-7151 for more details regarding donations, joining the walk and/or receiving assistance.
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