Building bridges, relationships prove key for Benson resident’s volunteerism

By RANDY CAPPS

It’s not often that someone with “attorney” and “lobbyist” on their resume becomes known for giving back to their community.

“Christian” and “servant” might not be on her resume, but they both can be used to describe Jeanelle McCain. With that spirit, McCain has made a profound impact on her community, and for that, she has earned the 2023 Johnston Now Honors Exemplary Volunteer Award.

“I was raised with parents who served,” she said. “They served in the Optimist Club, at church, they served the community. My mother was a teacher, and she tutored. So, I grew up with that example of servanthood, and that God expects that of us. He calls us to do that.”

A graduate of the University of North Carolina and Wake Forest Law School, McCain worked in public affairs for a firm representing Carolina Power and Light in South Carolina for 16 years. It was an environment that she learned to navigate, one handshake at a time.

“It’s all about building relationships,” she said. “I learned from a wonderful man, Governor Hunt’s former lobbyist Zeb Alley, he was all about building relationships. And that’s how I always approached the lobbying world.

Building relationships with Democrats, Republicans, people on the other side of my issue. … Finding a common interest.

“In the volunteer world, I really saw after my career a need to serve. When you’re so focused on your career, you feel like you don’t have any time to do anything. But then, (later I) felt like, OK, I’ve been given this time, and I wanted to use it to the glory of God.”

When her husband passed away in 2013, McCain sought a different career path that included more service-oriented work with nonprofit organizations.

After many years living in the Columbia area, McCain decided to move to Benson.

“I had no family in South Carolina, and I was ready to get back close to my parents as they were aging,” she said. “So, I came back in 2016. Even though I didn’t grow up in Benson, it’s home. With my grandma and grandpa, I spent a lot of time here.”

In 2019, she became the executive director of the Benson Area Ministerial Association.

“I loved it,” she said. “I loved the churches. We have a very generous community in Benson. I’m no longer officially the executive director, but I’m still involved in all the activities. Primarily, I work with the food pantry. That’s my passion, my priority with my community service.”

The food pantry operates on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and it services about 125 families each time. More than 8,000 people were fed last year through the pantry.

“There’s a lot of need, as far as the food pantry goes,” she said. “We have an amazing group of volunteers and an amazing group of churches that volunteer each time. Our number of families have increased over the past few months, and the amount of food that we’re getting from the food bank

in Raleigh has decreased. But Benson being a very generous community, the schools, the churches, the businesses have all done food drives and really helped us sustain and be able to serve the families in a mighty way.”

McCain has served in other ways as well, including a tutoring program, the Optimist Club, the Four Leaf Clover Program, the Benson Community Thanksgiving Lunch and an array of activities with the Benson Area Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m just really grateful,” she said. “You never do these things for praise, so it’s very humbling. I do urge folks to find a place in your community where you see a need, and just go and help. Don’t think that you have to have a lot of money or a lot of time. But everyone has some sort of talent or gift — God gives us all some kind of gift. And, I just urge people to go and serve in any way.”

Want to help the Benson Area Ministerial Association? Email them at bamaministry@gmail.com.