Angel Food Ministries hopes to soften blow of rising food costs

Westfield Congregational United Church of Christ volunteers packed boxes of "Angel Food" for customers Saturday. The church has partnered with Angel Food Ministries, a national, nondenominational organization, working to supplement families' food budgets. [Click to enlarge]

Westfield Congregational United Church of Christ volunteers distributed 87 boxes of food Saturday as a part of Angel Food Ministries.

The Westfield church has joined the national non-profit, non-denominational organization to sell food products for half their retail cost to help supplement budgets as food prices continue to rise.

The $30 cost for regular food boxes sold through Angel Food Ministries compares to a $60 retail value. People can also purchase specialty boxes for $20 each.

Barbette Grimm, assistant site manager at Westfield, said 40 regular boxes and 47 specialty boxes, which included meats like steak and chicken, were distributed Saturday at the church.

"Everyone seemed very appreciative of the quality of the food at the price it was," Grimm said. "We also started taking orders for the June distribution which will be June 21."

To order a specialty box, people must first order a regular box which contains a specific menu set by the national organization each month. For example May's menu included items like popcorn chicken, corn niblets and pizza.

"I thought the products were high quality," said Grimm, who ordered a box for her family. "Everything I've tried so far was really good."

"Angel Food" as its known can be ordered through various sites like the Westfield church. People must pay up front with cash, money orders or food stamps.

"This is for anyone who wants to supplement their food budget," she said. "I think we had people from a variety of incomes that actually purchased this time. That was good to see too."

Grimm said some of the people that purchased the food were Westfield church members, but orders also came from other communities such as Akron, Remsen and Marcus.

Currently volunteers from Westfield church go to Council Bluffs to pick up their "Angel Food," but the hope is to receive enough orders for the church to become a drop-off site. That would mean the national organization would send a truck to Westfield and volunteers wouldn't have to make the trek to Council Bluffs, Grimm said.

"It's just starting out in this area," she said. "This is just getting out and helping people."

There have been some challenges along the way for the Westfield church. One was the fear that the sports utility vehicle used to transport the food from Council Bluffs wouldn't have enough space for 87 boxes of food.

The boxes all fit -- but were piled within an inch of the ceiling of the vehicle -- and Grimm said they may have to rent a trailer next time if more orders come in.

No matter what it takes to remain a part of Angel Food Ministries, church members will come together as they have done with the ordering and distribution of the food, Grimm said.

"We're just committed to the mission of this right now," she said. "It's kind of all put together like God has intended."

Box:

"Angel Food" orders for next month are due by June 8 and will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 21 at the church. Volunteers will be available to take orders at Westfield Congregational United Church of Christ, 224 Linden St., at the following times:

5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday

10:30 a.m. to noon Sunday

5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 29

10:30 a.m. to noon June 1

5 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 5

10:30 a.m. to noon June 8