The Johnston County Mobile Market at Temple Baptist Church is a busy place. Held on the second Thursday of each month, the Mobile Market provides an opportunity for folks to shop for food items — fresh produce, baked goods, meats, and non-perishable items — all at no cost. All people have to do is show up, stand in line, provide the number of people in their family and shop. It’s a lifesaver for many who find that they don’t have the necessary funds to buy food to feed their families.
The food that’s distributed through the Johnston County Mobile Market comes from Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The Food Shuttle recovers the food from a number of sources -- including grocery stores, wholesalers, food drives and the Food Shuttle Farm--throughout its 7-county service area and then packs it up and delivers it to Temple Baptist Church for the Market day. Volunteers set up the Market in a gymnasium at the church and from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., it’s open for business.
On this Thursday, 173 people came through the Market representing 614 individuals. That’s par for the course, according the Rachel Ayers, Coordinator for the Johnston County Market since it originated in 2015.
There are no criteria to fulfill to use the Market. Anyone can come. And they do. Take for instance April and Johnny. April and Johnny are homeless at the moment, living in a tent down the road from the church. They currently receive $15 and $25 a month in food stamps respectively, but that doesn’t come close to providing enough food to eat, so they come to the Mobile Market to feed themselves and April’s mother who lives with them.
Sherry says that the Market is “a great help”. She shares what she gets at the Market with her neighbors. “This year has been particularly difficult. Everything has just snowballed. Hopefully next year will be better. I don’t know what we would have done without the Mobile Market.”
Daniel has been coming to the Mobile Market for the last two years. He’s also been a volunteer at the Market. “I get what I need and I give away what I can to help others. God is good all the time.”
“My son and I would not have survived without [the Market],” says Anita Marie. “He’s on a special diet and the produce I get here really helps. Plus there’s no county line. Other pantries have turned me away because of where I live. We’re welcome here.”
Mattie has been coming to the Johnston County Market for about a year, off and on. “There are six people living in my house. Social security is not enough to cover what we need. That’s why I come here.”
Shirley has also been coming for about a year. She has a disabled granddaughter living with her. She shops at the Market for herself, her granddaughter and her neighbors around her who have less than she does. “I appreciate all of it. I’m grateful to be able to share.”
Rasheen has four in his household and is currently between jobs. This was his first time to visit the Mobile Market and is very thankful for the opportunity to do so. “A lot of people need to come to places like this, but their pride keeps them from coming. It’s like my grandma says, ‘A closed mouth won’t get any food.’”
On average, between 600-800 people move through the Mobile Market each month and it operates very smoothly with between 25 and 30 volunteers helping shoppers check in and make their food selections. Rachel Ayers says that the volunteers come from all over and have come to know the people who shop at the Market. “We’re all one community and we do what we can to help each other. That’s the way the Lord wants us to be.”
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle provides for 10 Mobile Markets that are operated throughout the month. See here for a complete list of markets and when they are open.