Immanuel Baptist Church opens food pantry in Carlisle

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A Carlisle church member's dream to help families in need becomes a reality.


After nearly 20 years of Maxine Thrift trying to establish a food pantry, her church, the Immanuel Baptist Church, recently gathered enough resources to make it happen.

The pantry opened March 29, and already it's helping dozens of families in Carlisle.

Pamela Harris was barely getting by. Between food and clothes, she says it was always a blessing if she managed to stretch her disability check for 30 days.

"I'm on my own here," she said. "It's kind of tough being on a fixed income."

That was until her the Carlisle church opened the Mission of Hope Food Pantry.

"It's helped carry me through until I get my check. So it's been really a good thing," said Harris.

Thrift says she always knew there was a need in the area, but she's overwhelmed by the number of families who have actually come through.

"Makes me feel really good that people can get the help they need," said Thrift. "The first night we had three families, the next Monday night we had 20 families and it's just grown from there."
At about a hundred families a month, the pantry now serves more people than the church's members.

Pastor Billy Ricks says it's their mission to reach families beyond Carlisle.

"What we hope it does is give us an opportunity to minister to the families, to pray with them, to get to know them," said Ricks.

For Maxine, it's about finally realizing a calling she's been trying to make a reality for nearly two decades, and people like Harris couldn't be more thankful.

"It's been a blessing," said Harris.

Thrift says she "just wanted food to help families, children especially, who were going to bed hungry at night. And believe it or not, we have families here in Carlisle with children who do go to bed hungry at night and we just hope that we can stop that, for a while anyway."

The pantry recently partnered with the Arkansas Rice Depot to help out with food. They also have a clothes closet.

They say their doors are open to anyone who is in need and can get to the church.

Families can pick up food and/or clothes at the church on Mondays.

Donations are also welcomed.

Call: (501) 743-2307 or (501) 416-2048 or (501) 412-4980

He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. Ezekiel 18:16 NIV