Once a month, Pastor Ellen Jones of Emmanuel Light Ministries, drives across the state of Missouri to deliver a carload of food to The Children’s Place to support our food pantry program.
She learned about The Children’s Place about a year ago and has loyally made this trip each month since, supplying about $522 worth of food each month, helping sustain our pantry.
“We support The Children’s Place because we love to help children and we see that The Children’s Place goes way beyond helping children in need,” Pastor Ellen said. “The inspiration to help was that they give food to the children to take home so that they do not be hungry and provide meals for them to make sure that have the proper nourishment that they need.”
Every week we send home backpacks full of food with the children in our Day Treatment program, with cans of soup, pasta, instant oatmeal, granola bars and more to ensure that they have plenty to eat all weekend long when they are not at The Children’s Place. During the week, these children receive a freshly cooked hot breakfast and lunch at The Children’s Place, so this backpack program aims to ensure that food insecurity is not a challenge for these families over the weekend.
Beyond the sustainability Emmanuel Light Ministries has provided for our backpack program, they also purchased 10 winter coats in the fall to help keep children warm through the cold winter.
“The highlight of working with The Children’s Place is that the staff treats you like you are part of their team,” Pastor Ellen said. “Everyone works together to help each other and make a difference in children’s lives.”
The Volunteer of the Year Award was awarded at the Gratitude Bruncheon on June 5. Meet the other honorees of Gratitude Bruncheon 2025 here.
