Be a Blessing

BY TINA V. BRYSON

It seemed like if you blinked you would have missed how quickly the two trailers and small playground were transformed into a fully functional pantry that serves the Parkers Lake community in McCreary County. Mike Higginbotham, Facilities Management, led the construction of the new pantry and renovation of facilities which will allow larger mission groups. The expanded living space for volunteers increased the outreach capacity in the county.

“Most of us have never experienced hunger, but it does exist,” said Higginbotham, who choked up thinking of the children, their families, and the elderly who struggle to have enough food to eat. “I feel like when you drive up to the Eagle Pantry, there is a feeling of refuge and hope that overwhelms me.”

A smaller pantry opened in June 2021 to meet the changing community needs when the Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) preschool at Eagle closed because the public schools were meeting that need for families. The expansion includes a 2,760 square foot facility with offices, a covered area for drive-thru service, a shopping area that will provide participants the opportunity to select what they need for their families, freezer space for perishable items like meats, and a loading dock to accommodate large deliveries for the pantry.

“I have been blessed to know that I have touched a vital part of someone’s life by working and overseeing this building project,” Higginbotham said. “I want the pantry to be a place of help and hope, a place that will be here for the long haul that loves, cares, and gives hope to all people.”

Supply chain shortages and price increases were a major part of the challenges the team faced in getting both projects completed. Higginbotham credits teamwork with getting them through. “We succeed as a team and without the entire team being all in, we would have never accomplished anything.” The team led by Danny Purcell, who has worked at CAP for more than 35 years, includes Rodney Miracle (now retired), David Ratliff, Paul Shelton, Chancy Cooper, and Danny Rowe.

“Working behind the scenes is Kendra Duck. She does everything from payments to schedules to records. Everything would have been a train wreck if it hadn’t been for Kendra,” he added. “And now, the Eagle staff are signing up new participants almost daily. Everyone working together to help honest, hard-working people put a good meal on the table, that’s a blessing.”

According to Feeding America, in 2020, the food insecurity rate for the county was 20.6% and 21.6% for children. These numbers have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation. Pantry staff are developing partnerships in the community to reach as many children and their families, as well as seniors who need access to nutritious food. There are no grocery stores in the Parkers Lake area so the community must rely on prepackaged foods or fast-food style meals that are available at nearby convenience stores.

The Eagle Pantry currently serves 225 families with pantry boxes (553 people) and 95 seniors with commodity boxes each month. CAP anticipates nearly 800 families in the area need pantry assistance.

Next month, Higginbotham will celebrate his six-year work anniversary with CAP but is no stranger to CAP’s mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia. He was introduced to CAP in 1994 when his church hosted a volunteer group in McCreary County that worked on some home repair projects. He helped provide meals and fixed some maintenance issues during their stay.

The work on the pantry was expedited because of the commitment of many volunteers who came alongside Facilities Management staff. The expanded accommodations for mission groups makes it possible for larger groups to stay on the Eagle campus with increased sleeping capacity and shower facilities.

“I am grateful for everyone who worked on these projects,” Higginbotham added. “I hope that at the end of each day, staff and volunteers in McCreary County can go home feeling that they have made a difference in the lives of the people they served that day. When you can help someone who needs it, that’s a good day. God will bless those who are a blessing.”

Facilities Management led the expansion project for Eagle Food Pantry which is 2,760 square feet.