The line of cars stretched down N. Roxboro Street in Durham, as volunteers readied boxes and bags of produce, bread, meats, eggs, milk, and canned goods for distribution. At 2:00 p.m. sharp, cars entered the parking lot of Iglesia Hispana Emanuel Durham Presbyterian Church, popped their trunks and tailgates, and began to receive the food that would get their families through another four or five days. By 4 p.m., 500 families will have come through the line—in a car or on foot. It was just another week for Durham’s largest food distribution program.

Every Tuesday, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle delivers over 4,000 pounds of food to Iglesia Hispana Emanuel for their weekly food distribution. The church community relies on the donation to serve the vast number of families it feeds each week. What began as a small food pantry ten years ago, serving around 60 families, skyrocketed when COVID-19 struck, rapidly growing to 70, 100, 200…500 families.

Pastor Julio Ramirez asked church members Miguel and Margaret Rubiero to help, and the couple received a baptism by fire in the world of food sourcing and grant writing. In addition to food bank supplies, the program receives support from the other Presbyterian churches in the area, as well as from a base of donors and grantors.

The church is a safe space for the community to turn to for help in a world filled with uncertainty. In addition to food, assistance is often given for rent and utilities. The church’s popular tutoring project—which went on hiatus when schools went remote during the pandemic—is being restarted in January. There is even a legal advice workshop, funded by a grant from Duke University. Approximately 80% of those who receive food at the weekly distributions are Latino, 15% are African American, and 5% come from other communities. About 40% of those who attend the distributions are repeat visitors, and 10-15% are new each week, having learned about the food being given out by word of mouth or on social media.

Volunteer Britisth Hyrams loading a car with food

Volunteers are essential to the smooth running of the Iglesia Hispana Emanuel program. Cheryl Barton Henry of Westminster Presbyterian Church helps to coordinate the legion of volunteers who work the stations at the distribution. They include British Hyrams, who runs the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at North Carolina Central University. British says the NCCU students love the interfaith effort, are always impressed by the quality and quantity of food provided to the families but are sometimes overwhelmed by the need they witness in volunteering. NCCU student Precious Herring looked forward to the opportunity to serve, and said it was simply “good to give back” to the community. Joe Cameron, who has long been a recipient of the church’s food pantry, has also been a volunteer for more than five years. He fully appreciates the sense of community that comes from being part of the effort. He loves to “see the joy on people’s faces when they receive food.” “It’s a good thing to do,” he adds.

Guillermo Salamea, the church’s Business Manager and de facto distribution traffic director, declares the community’s appreciation for what the Food Shuttle’s weekly donation provides. “Whatever the Food Shuttle donates, we don’t have to buy, and that makes a big difference. It’s very important.” When told that what the church is doing for the community is amazing, he replies “We make amazing things happen because we have amazing partners.”