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Church alerts public to discount food program
By ALLEN JONES
Covenant Blessing Ministries, a non-denominational church in the Magnolia area, has been helping people save money on groceries for two years now, but currently only 100 families are taking advantage of the savings.
Teresa Lynchard said the church, located at 31202 Hazy Meadow Dr. in the Hazy Hallow subdivision, joined Angel Food Ministries to help more than simply the poor. Angel Food, a non-profit nationwide food program, is not a charity - but more like a buying club.
“Yes there are opportunities to help the critical needy; but more than anything the program offers a way for families to prevent from falling into a victim status, or, worse yet, a poverty level that we, as tax payers, pay the price for,” Lynchard said.
Besides “all the horrible” events that can happen to families the church was already ministering to, the Lynchards saw “a need in our area that really needed to be addressed” - hunger.
“Just in our subdivision alone, the number of children on assistance, or that need assistance is close to 96 percent, according to the Food Service Department at the Magnolia Independent School District,” she said. “Today, more than ever, with the price of everything going up, those who were the ones who did not qualify for assistance, now do. But I cannot stress enough, there is now new poverty levels of people of people out there that have never in their lives thought, or would believe, it is now happening to them.”
She believes middle class America is on the verge of falling out of the ranks.
“You are either rich or poor,” she said. “It is sad to say that the American Dream is falling between these people’s fingers and they are not able to feed their families or supply basic needs.”
Lynchard said Angel Food provides families a way to put food on their tables but at a “reasonable cost.”
“We started out feeding about 16 families and now we are at 100 families each moth,” she said.
Lynchard wants to see more people save money on groceries through the program. According to Angel Food’s web site, its regular food box can feed a family of four for a week. The September box, includes 1.5 pounds of top sirloin strip steaks, 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast, 3 pounds of breaded chicken chunks, 1.5 pounds of boneless pork filet, 20 ounces of supreme pizza, 1 pound of ground turkey, 1 pound of cheddar cheese Bratwurst sausage, 1 pound of green beans, 1 pound of stir fry vegetables, 35 ounces of crinkle-cut fries, 32 ounces of Borden reduced fat shelf stable milk, 7.5 ounces of Macaroni & Cheese, 15 ounces of pork and beans, 7 ounces of chicken-flavored rice and vermicelli, 1 pound of pinto beans, 1 dozen eggs, and one dessert item. The total cost for the box is $30. A $1 packing charge is added for a total of $31 for the box.
In addition to the regular box of food, purchasers may obtain special order food boxes. In September, for example, for $20, a family can purchase an assorted meat grill box with ribeye steaks, beef short ribs, boneless pork roast and all beef burgers. Or, for $20, a special includes steak and meat combo with Kansas city strips, bone-in ribeye steaks and hamburger steaks. Or, for $20, families can purchase a party wing special box along with non-breaded party-style chicken wings.
Other special boxes include a “5 for 4 Dinner Box, $20, and a “Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box” for $19.
The specials are only available with the purchase of one or more regular food boxes.
Specially packed “Senior Boxes” are also available for $25 and include 10 individual meals that are fully-cooked and labeled complete with heating instructions.
“Most people do not believe you get that much food for the cost,” Lynchard said. “Or, because the host site is in Hazy Hallow they think we are a scam.”
Lynchard said because her church is located in Hazy Hallow, it is actually an ideal location to minister to those in need.
“This location has raised questions about whether we are an approved host site for Angel Food or not,” she said. “I tell people all the time to go to www.angelfood.com and key in the area zip code to see that we are an approved host site for Angle Food. We already have a very large and organized volunteer staff and never turn away anyone who just wants to help others and get involved.”
The Magnolia site isn’t the only Angel Food host site in the area.
Tomball Bible Church, 400 N. Walnut St. in Tomball, is also an approved host site. Lynchard said Angel Food Ministries is hosting an area leadership breakfast from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 and she is personally inviting all area community leaders to attend to learn more about the program.
Those who would like to attend should contact Lynchard by Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 281-356-6452. Invitations will be mailed out to all interested parties, she said.
“Name, address, phone number and e-mail address is all you have to give me,” she said, adding that she knows many community leaders have “very busy schedules” but that if they could not attend personally to consider sending a representative from their organizations to the breakfast.
Covenant Blessing Ministries’ service area extends from SH 249 into Pinehurst to Hockley, Hempstead, the Waller County boarder, The Woodlands, Conroe and the FM 2978 boarder. Lynchard said her church’s Angel Food program extends as far north as Plantersville, Navasota, Montgomery, and other remote areas where families live too far to drive to other host sites.
She said it is her hope that area community leaders see this program as an asset to the area, and that “all types of people benefit from this program.”
“Seniors who are raising grand kids on fixed incomes, the two-income families who are barely making their bills, the disabled, and of course the single parent working family can always use a helping hand,” she said.
Teresa Lynchard said the church, located at 31202 Hazy Meadow Dr. in the Hazy Hallow subdivision, joined Angel Food Ministries to help more than simply the poor. Angel Food, a non-profit nationwide food program, is not a charity - but more like a buying club.
“Yes there are opportunities to help the critical needy; but more than anything the program offers a way for families to prevent from falling into a victim status, or, worse yet, a poverty level that we, as tax payers, pay the price for,” Lynchard said.
Besides “all the horrible” events that can happen to families the church was already ministering to, the Lynchards saw “a need in our area that really needed to be addressed” - hunger.
“Just in our subdivision alone, the number of children on assistance, or that need assistance is close to 96 percent, according to the Food Service Department at the Magnolia Independent School District,” she said. “Today, more than ever, with the price of everything going up, those who were the ones who did not qualify for assistance, now do. But I cannot stress enough, there is now new poverty levels of people of people out there that have never in their lives thought, or would believe, it is now happening to them.”
She believes middle class America is on the verge of falling out of the ranks.
“You are either rich or poor,” she said. “It is sad to say that the American Dream is falling between these people’s fingers and they are not able to feed their families or supply basic needs.”
Lynchard said Angel Food provides families a way to put food on their tables but at a “reasonable cost.”
“We started out feeding about 16 families and now we are at 100 families each moth,” she said.
Lynchard wants to see more people save money on groceries through the program. According to Angel Food’s web site, its regular food box can feed a family of four for a week. The September box, includes 1.5 pounds of top sirloin strip steaks, 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast, 3 pounds of breaded chicken chunks, 1.5 pounds of boneless pork filet, 20 ounces of supreme pizza, 1 pound of ground turkey, 1 pound of cheddar cheese Bratwurst sausage, 1 pound of green beans, 1 pound of stir fry vegetables, 35 ounces of crinkle-cut fries, 32 ounces of Borden reduced fat shelf stable milk, 7.5 ounces of Macaroni & Cheese, 15 ounces of pork and beans, 7 ounces of chicken-flavored rice and vermicelli, 1 pound of pinto beans, 1 dozen eggs, and one dessert item. The total cost for the box is $30. A $1 packing charge is added for a total of $31 for the box.
In addition to the regular box of food, purchasers may obtain special order food boxes. In September, for example, for $20, a family can purchase an assorted meat grill box with ribeye steaks, beef short ribs, boneless pork roast and all beef burgers. Or, for $20, a special includes steak and meat combo with Kansas city strips, bone-in ribeye steaks and hamburger steaks. Or, for $20, families can purchase a party wing special box along with non-breaded party-style chicken wings.
Other special boxes include a “5 for 4 Dinner Box, $20, and a “Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box” for $19.
The specials are only available with the purchase of one or more regular food boxes.
Specially packed “Senior Boxes” are also available for $25 and include 10 individual meals that are fully-cooked and labeled complete with heating instructions.
“Most people do not believe you get that much food for the cost,” Lynchard said. “Or, because the host site is in Hazy Hallow they think we are a scam.”
Lynchard said because her church is located in Hazy Hallow, it is actually an ideal location to minister to those in need.
“This location has raised questions about whether we are an approved host site for Angel Food or not,” she said. “I tell people all the time to go to www.angelfood.com and key in the area zip code to see that we are an approved host site for Angle Food. We already have a very large and organized volunteer staff and never turn away anyone who just wants to help others and get involved.”
The Magnolia site isn’t the only Angel Food host site in the area.
Tomball Bible Church, 400 N. Walnut St. in Tomball, is also an approved host site. Lynchard said Angel Food Ministries is hosting an area leadership breakfast from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 and she is personally inviting all area community leaders to attend to learn more about the program.
Those who would like to attend should contact Lynchard by Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 281-356-6452. Invitations will be mailed out to all interested parties, she said.
“Name, address, phone number and e-mail address is all you have to give me,” she said, adding that she knows many community leaders have “very busy schedules” but that if they could not attend personally to consider sending a representative from their organizations to the breakfast.
Covenant Blessing Ministries’ service area extends from SH 249 into Pinehurst to Hockley, Hempstead, the Waller County boarder, The Woodlands, Conroe and the FM 2978 boarder. Lynchard said her church’s Angel Food program extends as far north as Plantersville, Navasota, Montgomery, and other remote areas where families live too far to drive to other host sites.
She said it is her hope that area community leaders see this program as an asset to the area, and that “all types of people benefit from this program.”
“Seniors who are raising grand kids on fixed incomes, the two-income families who are barely making their bills, the disabled, and of course the single parent working family can always use a helping hand,” she said.
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