A Yukon church has demonstrated its support for those less fortunate by making large financial contributions to local helping agencies.
Life Church Yukon, 1101 E Main, has presented $6,000 donations to Manna Pantry and Compassionate Hands.
“We look for places in the community that make an impact and want to partner with those agencies,” said Logan Prince, associate campus pastor at Life Church Yukon.
In making the substantial donations to both Compassionate Hands and Manna Pantry, Prince and Pastor Tim Knox thanked representatives of each “for what you do” to support individuals and families in need.
Knox said Life Church wants to minister to people no matter their financial circumstances.
Manna Pantry Board Member Ramona Ritchie told the Life Church pastors that the local food bank fed more than 950 people last month.
Yukon is a “very giving community,” Ritchie said.
Fellow Board Member Vicki McKee said, “nobody should be hungry” and that Manna Pantry “really wants to help.”
The pantry’s primary need now is a larger building, McKee added.
“The sooner the better,” she said.
Board Vice President Sherri Rogers pointed out that Manna Pantry has “grown so much” over the last four years.
“It’s just exploded,” Rogers said.
Manna Pantry, which serves clients in Yukon and Piedmont, has no paid staff and relies on some 170 volunteers.
‘A VERY GENEROUS CHURCH’
Compassionate Hands, a ministry of the Yukon Ministerial Alliance, is celebrating 25 years of serving Yukon.
Director Joanne Riley said the donation from Life Church Yukon is much appreciated and will be used to advance Compassionate Hands’ ministry.
“Life Church is a very generous church; they give so much away to help people in temporary crisis,” Riley said.
“Churches like Life Church give to us so we can help people who are facing utility cutoffs and rental evictions or need help to pay for their medications or gas to drive to work or the doctor.”
Compassionate Hands offers an accessible van service to transport the elderly and people with disabilities to medical appointments and some personal errands.
In 2018, Compassionate Hands helped 271 families and 594 individuals with rent, utilities, medicine, and gas cards. The Care-A-Van transported 1,306 passengers on 2,356 trips; those numbers are expected to increase significantly for 2019 after the agency recently added a second van.
Services at Life Church Yukon are 4 p.m. Saturday; and 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Learn more at www.life.church/yukon
By Conrad Dudderar, Senior Staff Writer at the Yukon Progress
Photo: Life Church Yukon presents a $6,000 donation to Manna Pantry: From left, Pastor Tim Knox, Associate Pastor Logan Prince, Manna Pantry Board Member Vicki McKee, Board Member Ramona Ritchie, and Board Vice President Sherri Rogers. (Photo by Conrad Dudderar)