Pequea Presbyterian Church offers ministry

As part of an effort to serve people in need in the community, Pequea Presbyterian Church in Gap offers free food to the public every Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. No proof of income is required.

The church obtains the items from Blessings of Hope, a food distribution ministry that receives food from food producers and distributors, as well as grocery stores.

Each person gets several boxes of food at the church in a drive-up format. "We have a dry goods box, a produce box and a refrigerated or frozen box," explained food ministry volunteer Doris Witmer, who is also a church deacon.

On a recent Friday, the fresh produce box contained potatoes, snap peas, strawberries, lettuce, grape tomatoes and peaches. "We usually have something they can make a salad with, and we try to get fresh fruits and vegetables," said church pastor Alfred Wanner.

The cold box contained chocolate milk, yogurt, liquid eggs, frozen shrimp fried rice and ice cream, while the dry goods box contained canned goods, cookies, tea and a loaf of bread.

"The church pays Blessings of Hope for the food. It's not free to us, but it's free to the community," said Wanner, noting that people of all ages come to get the food, which has been given out at the church for more than 10 years. "We have had some people come to church as a result of (the ministry)."

Each food recipient also receives a printed lesson written by the pastor. "He gives them a message every week," said Witmer.

Those who visit the church for free food are asked to provide their contact information and agree to use the food items they are given for themselves. They are also free to share the food with others.

"We work with Blessings of Hope. They have the policy that the food must not be sold or bartered, and we remind people of that," Wanner added. "If we have someone new come in, we make sure they are aware of that."

Assisting in the ministry is Wanner's wife, Cookie, and his sister-in-law Ruth Wanner, a church deacon.

Pequea Presbyterian Church is located at 273 Cambridge Road, Gap. Those who are interested in obtaining free food are asked to contact the church at 717-768-3324 or pequeapres1724@gmail.com. For more information about the church, search for "Pequeaeco1724" on Facebook.