Ebenezer Baptist Church raising money to buy a food truck

BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4 PM to 6 PM Ebenezer Baptist Church provides meals to the homeless in Beckley. The meals are provided at the gazebo between the courthouse and county commission building, which has no cover the elements. The pastor is trying to raise money to purchase a food truck to help with the food distribution.

“We just want to help people,” said Ebenezer Baptist Church Pastor Ballard Johnson. “This is one of those things where we can pitch in and help the community so we decided, my congregation and me, that these people need a food trailer or food truck. It’s just not me it’s the community, it’s a community thing. We all need to work together so we can stay together.”

The church not only provides meals at the gazebo, but also at the homeless shelter. Pastor Johnson says the issue is that business owner don’t want the homeless sitting in front of their stores, an issue which the food truck would resolve.

“They don’t want the homeless sitting in front of their storefronts so what we can do, get us a food truck we can move it to a location that’s conducive to the homeless and to the people downtown. So it benefits everybody here,” Pastor Johnson said.

Additionally, since the church picks up the food in Oak Hill, the food truck would allow the church to expand the distribution to Oak Hill and other nearby areas.

The church has started a go fund me page in order to get donations to purchase the food truck. Pastor Johnson asks those who can donate to do so, help spread the word, and give the homeless a chance to better themselves.

“They need help, they need consideration, they need care, they need food, they need all these things,” said Pastor Johnson. “Eventually they maybe start feeling good about themselves and then become productive citizens.”

The Go Fund Me can be found here. You can also mail checks to the church at PO Box 3191 Beckley, WV 25801, be sure to write food truck in the memo.

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