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Indy church offers help during pandemic, to hold a drive-thru food pantry

Church turns concession stand into food pantry

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis church is turning a baseball concession stand into a drive-thru food pantry to help people struggling during the pandemic. 

It’s happening Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Indianapolis at 86th Street and College Avenue. 

The goal is for each person to leave with two bags of groceries and the church says it should be enough for a family of four for one to two weeks. 

Normally this time of year, First Baptist Athletics would be prepping the baseball fields and getting ready for a game. Instead, former athletes came up with this idea to turn the concession stand into a way to help people who need extra assistance. There are no requirements for people who show up. The church says there’s a level of trust within the community. 

First Baptist Athletic Director Steven Carr says this is essential for people who don’t have access to good food or resources. 

“A large percentage of the people coming here to the church are folks who are not going to the grocery store as often because of the economic stress that I think everybody is feeling, but especially working class and hourly workers,” Carr said. “This is a way for them to come and just feel a small bit of relief.”

The church holds a food pantry on the last Tuesday of every month. This is a new way to help people while social distancing. Normally 90 to 200 people show up. As of right now, there’s enough food for 180 bags total. The bags include things like rice, peanut butter, canned chicken, canned tuna and pasta. 

The church will have volunteers directing traffic and there will be an interpreter on site.