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Hope International Food Pantry in Coolidge has officially closed its doors. Since its closure, Christ the Victor has seen a significant increase in the number of families turning to us for assistance.

Following the closure, Christ the Victor worked with Hope International and United Food Bank to take over Hope’s former donation pickup opportunities at Safeway and Walmart in Coolidge. Along with our ongoing Sprouts pickups, these new partnerships are providing additional food to help us serve the growing number of families in need.

A New Van and New Opportunities to Serve

To help accommodate these larger donations, the Food Pantry recently purchased a van for store pickups. In the past, some loads were too large for a volunteer’s personal vehicle, requiring drivers to make two trips. The van will allow us to transport more food efficiently while also making it possible for additional volunteers to help.

If you have been interested in assisting with store pickups but were unable to use your own vehicle, now may be the perfect time to jump in! Volunteers are needed to pick up donations, bring them back to the church, weigh the food, and help put it away. A Food Handler’s License is required, but the Food Pantry will cover the cost.

Our Shelves Still Need Your Help

We praise God for the increase in donations from Safeway and Walmart. However, the need in our community continues to grow. More than once during the past month, our shelves have been nearly bare, and we have faced the heartbreaking reality of having to turn families away.

Our most-needed items include:

  • Top Ramen
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Peanut butter
  • Canned soups
  • Canned vegetables
  • Tomato paste and tomato sauce in cans—not glass jars
  • Cereal

We also have an ongoing need for dozen-size egg cartons, plastic grocery bags, and smaller cardboard boxes for food distribution. Amazon-style boxes work especially well.

Donate From Wherever You Are

If you are a winter visitor who is currently away—or if purchasing and physically delivering larger quantities is difficult—Amazon often offers good bulk prices on items such as Ramen, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and canned vegetables. Donations may be shipped directly to the church:

Christ the Victor Lutheran Church
6173 E. Arizona Farms Road
Florence, AZ 85132

Amazon does not always tell us who sent a donation, and we would love the opportunity to thank you. If you have items shipped to the church, please let the church office know they are coming and who they are from.

More Than Food: Welcoming, Prayer, and Connection

We are incredibly grateful for the wonderful team that has stepped in to improve our check-in process. Check-in is now completed on iPads as volunteers go from car to car. This has made the process faster and more convenient, especially for clients who have difficulty getting out of their vehicles.

Our amazing greeting team does much more than check people in. Volunteers visit with clients, pray with them, help connect them with resources for other needs, and offer something many people may not receive regularly at home—meaningful conversation, personal connection, and the reassurance that someone truly cares.

Under the leadership of our Food Pantry Director, Jim Ross, this ministry has become so much more than a place where people receive food. It is a place where people are welcomed, heard, prayed for, and shown the love of Jesus.

Other Ways to Serve

There are many opportunities to help, whether you can volunteer regularly or just once or twice a month.

Morning Setup Team
Volunteers may arrive as early as 6:00 a.m. to help prepare for the day’s distribution. Even an hour of your time can make a tremendous difference.

Store Pickup Team
Use the Food Pantry van to collect donations from our partner stores and help unload, weigh, and put away the food.

Greeting and Check-In Team
Go from car to car to welcome and check in our clients, offer prayer and encouragement, help connect them with helpful resources, and provide a caring, listening ear.

Food Pantry Schedule

Tuesdays and Thursdays

  • 6:00–7:00 a.m. – Setup begins
  • 8:00 a.m. – Volunteer prayer
  • 8:30–10:30 a.m. – Food Pantry open

Come and See This Beautiful Ministry

If you have never taken the time to volunteer at the Food Pantry, we encourage you to come and experience what this beautiful ministry has become. People from Christ the Victor and throughout the surrounding community come together with one shared purpose: to serve our neighbors with compassion and the love of Christ.

Whether volunteers are collecting donations, stocking shelves, packing boxes, checking in clients, loading vehicles, offering prayer, or simply taking the time to listen, every person has an important role.

As the need in our community continues to grow, we trust that the Lord will continue to provide through His people. Thank you to everyone who gives, volunteers, prays, and helps spread the word. Together, we are providing more than food—we are offering dignity, encouragement, connection, and the hope of Jesus Christ.