Central Food Bank News

By Michelle Lewis & Central Food Bank
    The past several months have been a whirlwind of changes for the City of Central Food Bank. With the passing of Mr. Grissom in August and the resignation of his lovely wife Miss Anna Marie in October, the volunteers of the food bank had some serious decisions to make.  The first was who would step into Mr. and Mrs. Grissom’s shoes?  The other was would it continue to operate as the best kept secret in Central? Or would it move forward and locate a real home?   Well, keeping a promise we made to Mr. Grissom prior to his death, we, Michelle Lewis and my fiancé Kevin Keithly, founders of Central Feeding Central in Memory of Dennis M. Lewis, stepped up to the task.   
    The organizing of food drives; collecting and sorting the donations and distribution of assistance to the needy of Central has been a full time job since August.  Not to mention locating the perfect spot for a new home for the food bank.  With determination, sore backs, a few blisters and a lot of long hours, I am proud to say the best kept secret in Central now has a new home and is scheduled to open in January of 2016!  The food bank will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The Central Food Bank is now located at 13366 Hooper Road Suite A (next door to Mr. Gene’s Barber Shop).  The opening of the new location will be held next Tuesday, January 12 at 11:30 a.m.  
    We would like to thank EVERYONE who has helped the food bank with food and monetary donations.  Since Kevin and I started in August we have continued to distribute monthly assistance with the help of Kelli Norwood and Cindy Jargenson at Zoar Baptist Church and Emily at the Central Volunteer Fire Station.      We were contacted in September by Mr. O’Banion assistant principal of Central Intermediate School.  September was “Soup Month”!  The children collected 37 boxes of soup. In October Central Middle School held a month long food drive.  The children collected six barrels of food.  
    The Central community did not let us down in November! Central High School held a one week food drive.  They filled a trailer with food.  Blackwater United Methodist Church held a “Share A Can Sunday” and collected four barrels of food.   The Central Feeding Central MEGA food drive hosted by Winn Dixie was beyond a success.  With the community’s kind donations of their $5.00 turkeys, were able to provide 18 COMPLETE turkey dinners for Thanksgiving. 
    Going into December, your support did not stop with more successful food drives and donations coming in daily, eight hams donated by employees of DEMCO and two anonymous ham donations. I am proud to say we have provided COMPLETE ham dinners and COMPLETE turkey dinners for Christmas.   
    We are thankful for all of the wonderful people who have helped us along the way in the transition process.  We would also like to thank Mr. Pete and Anna Marie Grissom for all of their 26 years of selfless dedication to the community of Central. Without them our little food bank would never have existed.   On behalf of myself, Kevin Keithly and the City of Central Food Bank, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.  May God Bless and keep you all. – Michelle Lewis, President City of Central Food Bank  
SPECIAL THANK YOU: Walton “Ti” Barnes, Ron Erickson, Suzonne Cowart, John & Sandy Heffner with Central Storage, John & Emily Knaps, Jennifer Sicher, Susan Western, Melissa Higginbotham, Kelli Norwood, Cindy Jergenson, Emily and everyone at the Central Volunteer Fire Station,  Winn Dixie Central, Mayor Shelton, DEMCO, Zoar Baptist Church, Blackwater United Methodist Church, Mrs. Sharon Browning with Blackwater United Methodist Church Jr & Sr Bible School Class, Central Baptist Church, Central High School, Central Intermediate School, The Staff of Tanglewood Elementary,  Central Graphics, David & Mia Freneaux Central Speaks, Capital One Bank, Central Drug Store, GM Cable, Hunts Tire Pros, Michael Loolara with State Farm, Central Early Learning Center, Imagination Station, Ochsner, Ross Tire, Carlton’s Seafood, Whitney Bank, Wildcat Sports, Frogs, Bank Of Zachary, Dawns Sweet Tooth, Central Title & Closing, Callahan Law Firm, Cross Threads, The Rubber House of Baton Rouge, Joseph Gutierrez with WVLA.  An extra special THANK YOU to the Central Community for your support.