A record number of people have been cared for this month by the Grimes Storehouse, said Pastor Ben Wedeking of Grimes United Methodist Church, and he expects that the need will continue to increase.
“We have had record numbers already and it has gone up every month, even before the crisis,” he said. “This month we served 74 families, which is a massive amount for us, and I expect those numbers to go up.”
Listen to an interview with Pastor Ben Wedeking about how the Storehouse is adapting to new circumstances.
Until recently, guests would go inside the Storehouse to check in and then walk through the aisles with a shopping assistant to help them, just like going to a local grocery store. Now, the Storehouse has adapted to the new guidelines set by Governor Reynolds.
“Instead of letting people come inside, the team is working to bag groceries ahead of time,” he said. “They let us know they're here, and our volunteers are gloved up and masked up and take the groceries out to them.”
Threads of Grace, a sewing ministry at the church, has also begun making facemasks.
“That’s been really cool to see that happening and is another example of how the church comes together in these times of crisis,” Wedeking said.
Grimes United Methodist Church is also partnering with the Foodbank of Iowa and Lutheran Church of Hope, which Wedeking said, “will enable us to do a little bit more to prepare” for the growing number of families needing support in the region.
To find out more about how you can help, visit the
Grimes Storehouse on Facebook.
“There's a lot of ways for us to love one another, and I would just encourage all my brothers and sisters in the clergy and laity to do what you can to serve and love one another,” Wedeking said.
