06/11/04

By James Mayse
Messenger-Inquirer

David and Joyce Holdridge started their food pantry almost by accident.

The couple, who were ministers of 24/7 Jesus Church Inc. on Cedar Street, hadn't planned on opening a food pantry. But one day, Joyce Holdridge found herself talking to a woman who was looking for an open food bank.

"The Lord told us, 'feed this woman,'" Joyce Holdridge said. "I took her into my own pantry and gave her three bags of food. After she left, I said, 'this is it. This is what he wants us to do.'"

The couple, New Mexico natives who ran the Cedar Street church since last year, have closed the church and pantry and are moving back to the Southwest. The food pantry, which served as many as 200 families a month, officially closed at the end of May.

Even after the pantry closed "we still have people come, our regulars," said David Holdridge. "We had a few (food) boxes made up."

The Holdridges came to Owensboro to start a congregation with a few other ministers. When the arrangement didn't work out, the couple opened their own church on Cedar Street.

The independent Christian church had only a small congregation, and had trouble soliciting enough donations to make ends meet, David Holdridge said. "We were trying to have a good time, and trusting God to pay the bills," he said. "Offerings were nonexistent."

While the congregation was small, the food pantry began attracting customers from across the city's west side. The pantry was sometimes feeding more than 50 families a week.

"Word got around," Joyce Holdridge said. "They started coming in a 5 o'clock at night and at 6 in the morning."

Many of the pantry's goods came from local and regional nonprofit organizations, such as Second Harvest and Bread of Life ministry. A few area businesses donated bread and other food items as well, and St. Vincent De Paul donated freezers for the pantry to store meat.

"Somebody did anonymously give a $500 contribution," David Holdridge said. "That was the biggest contribution we ever received."

Despite the lack of church offerings, the pantry received enough support to feed as many as 200 families a month. David Holdridge, who also works as an electrician, said he was amazed at the pantry's success.

"How in the world can an unemployed electrician who only worked six weeks last year . . . feed so many people? It's a God thing," he said.

"We never had to short people in their boxes," Joyce Holdridge said.

With pressing family issues, the couple is leaving town to be closer to family in Texas. When the couple decided to move, they approached other churches and nonprofit groups about running the food bank.

"We tried for over a month to get somebody to take it over and take care of this side of town," David Holdridge said. "We talked to several different churches we knew."

"We can never have enough food banks," Joyce Holdridge said. "Every day, there are more children and old people who are going hungry."

The church, Joyce Holdridge said, tried to reach people by attending to their physical needs. "Jesus realized you can't preach to a hungry person," she said. "Once you feed the body, then you can feed the soul."

The pantry, David Holdridge said, catered to more than just church members. "We had an elderly Muslim man who came in, and he thinks I'm his best friend," he said.

The couple hope to open another food pantry when they get settled in Texas. "The only thing I regret about leaving here is we couldn't get someone to take over," Joyce Holdridge said. "I have enjoyed the people. I have made wonderful friends here."