By Heather Bennett Eye
Just south of Chat Holly on the west side of Highway 331 down a tree-lined drive sits The Church at the Bay, formerly the South Walton Baptist Church. This church has been home to The Open Door Food Pantry since 2018. Every Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., volunteers from The Church at the Bay and other churches, alongside volunteers who simply feel a calling to serve, join together to distribute food.
The Open Door Food Pantry has grown since its opening, and so has the needs of our community. What began as a small distribution center in the church’s fellowship hall quickly grew to fill the classroom pods behind the church, and in 2023 they moved into their current building that provides them with 1950 square feet with a second-floor loft, and the space to house 15 freezers and two walk-in coolers.
When COVID hit in 2020, the amount of people in need increased, but has since doubled. This year, The Open Door Food Pantry fed 80,996 people compared to 46,324 people in 2020. Several factors play a role – an increase in food prices; grandparents on a fixed income who are now taking care of their grandkids; job loss or reduced income; and unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies or repairs. Sometimes the refrigerator goes out and the food loss is more than your budget can cover.
Filling these needs is the mission of The Open Door Food Pantry. “This is a Christian mission. This is not a business. We’re not here to judge, we’re here to serve,” said Assistant Manager Carole Bishop. There’s no limit on how many times people can come to receive food. If your neighbor, family, or friends have needs, you to pick up on their behalf, and there’s no limit on that either. If you can’t make the pickup time, you can arrange for a volunteer to meet you when you’re available. If you’re unable to drive, a volunteer can deliver food to you. “It’s not a handout, it’s a hand up. We don’t look down on people at all,” stated CEO Bill Howell.
Volunteers at The Open Door Food Pantry also won’t ask for ID or take any personal information. By not accepting any government assistance, they aren’t required to keep documentation on those they assist. Your need is completely anonymous. “Jesus didn’t ask for an ID when he fed the 5,000, why should we?” asked Carole. “We don’t want to intrude in their lives.” Volunteers are available to pray with those who come through the line and ask, but it’s not a requirement. They also have a bilingual volunteer who can offer prayer in Spanish if needed.
Without government assistance or solicitation, The Open Door Food Pantry relies on The Church at the Bay to provide their location, electricity, water and insurance. Donations from local businesses and the community provide food. They’ve had a long-standing contract with Destin Harvest and have received grants from St Joe and donations from other local businesses. “We’ve been blessed,” stated Bill. “Many businesses donate. It’s the only way we have the money to continue.”
From week to week, they don’t know what kind of items they will have, but they strive to give away as much as they can. So far this year, they’ve donated 595,846 pounds of food. “God has been so good in providing us so much food. He is the miracle. He provides us the miracle every week,” stated Carole.
Just as the ebb and flow of needs varies week to week, as food insecurity rises in Walton County, The Open Door Food Pantry will strive to continue to grow and meet the needs of the community. Many people wouldn’t have been able to make it without them, but they are also in need of volunteers to make sure they can serve as many people as they can. If you are interested in volunteering at The Open Door Food Pantry, please visit their website for more information https://thechurchatthebayandopendoorfoodpantry.com or contact Bill Howell at (850) 217-6991.
