food pantries

Innovation applied to our neighborhoods

You probably have heard by now that iPhone just unveiled 5C and 5S both with iOS 7 and the later with fingerprint sensor and 64-bit processor. Even with all the innovations, some tech experts are saying that they are losing the ground in the smartphone war.

No, I’m not going to lead you to follow this trend, but let me ask you a question, “What If we put as much emphasis on missional community innovation as we do with smartphones?”

Here’s an example: One of the self-sustained food pantries that FHL planted is having a Baked Sale on Sat. 9/14 to raise funds for their pantry. What’s innovative about it? It’s an old concept that was upgraded. The local residents are coming together to sustain their food pantry. Last month, a family did a garage sale and used the money to buy food for the pantry. These methods maybe archaic but they are morphing into neighborhood transformation.

This is grassroots movement in steroids! The local neighborhood has a sense of ownership of their pantry. They now come together not just for food but for camaraderie and relationships.

Unlike technology innovation, grassroots movement is powered from ground up instead of from top down. This approach can create a legacy not a legend. This approach can transform a neighborhood, a city and a country. These neighborhoods will win over hunger, homelessness and crime. Instead of losing ground, they will conquer the land with ever increasing innovation to solve challenges together.

One of several self-sustained food pantries that FHL incubated

Remember the vision of FHL’s Food Pantry Planting Initiative? Incubating pantries to be self-sustained. In early 2010, FHL did the first Pantry of Hope at B&G Club in Beech Grove, IN. By summer of 2010, FHL held a Town Hall meeting to invite churches and businesses to be a part of the establishment of the pantry. They have become self sustained in 2012.

Here’s a quick story that will bless you. Early this month, they did a community garage sale to enable them to buy food for the pantry. The note below shows that the local neighborhood is pulling together to gather resources as part of their sustainability. Ironically, when you talk to clients and volunteers at Pantry of Hope, they will tell you that it’s not just about food but more about relationship – Grassroots movement in the Kingdom!

Hello, August 23, 2013

I would like to have a Bake Sale September 14th-15th and are in need of item to sell, I want to be able to buy food and have more then just Gleaners . I hope to get enough baked items to sell both day from 12-3 pm. Please let me know if and what you can do . I would also like to have a meeting with all of you on September 8th, may be a pitch in cook out . Please let me know your feeling on both these matters.

Thank You for all you do,

Pantry of Hope

Carrie Holman

This pantry needs freezer and refrigerator; please contact me if you have any leads or suggestions to equip them.

You can help and encourage them by:

Baking cookies, brownies or cupcakes (bring them before noon on the 14th at B&G or arrange a time to deliver to FHL office)
Help us locate donated Freezer and Refrigerator
Volunteer on 9/21 10a – 3p

NOTE: FHL will start incubating the 14th self-sustained food pantry next month (Sept.). Our goal is to plant 24 by the end of 2014. Please let me know if you know of organizations or potential partners to help us in this important initiative.

Changing spiritual landscape one neighborhood at a time. – Merlin

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Neighborhood Innovation

From a vision to reality