What started as the church simply buying its own food has grown into something much larger. Reverend Johnny Perez said the need has increased as local businesses have cut wages, pushing more residents onto fixed incomes. The ministry hands out food every Monday and Thursday morning beginning at 10 a.m. At 50th Street and Avenue P, running until supplies are gone.
Perez pointed directly to stagnant pay from local employers as a driver of demand, meaning the people showing up are often working adults and retirees stretched too thin, not just the unemployed. The South Plains Food Bank partnership gives the church access to a larger and more consistent supply than it could fund on its own.
Twenty-four years is a long time to watch a problem get worse instead of better.