The Storehouse was severely damaged following a Nor'easter.

NORFOLK, Va. - For Pastor Rodney Hammonds, giving up hope was not an option.

When the Storehouse, a community food pantry operated by New Life Christian Center, sustained severe damage during the 2009 Nor’easter caused by Hurricane Ida, it wasn’t clear how Pastor Hammonds, who oversees the pantry, would be able to continue to serve the hungry in their community.

On top of the damage sustained to the building, the food pantry lost their refrigeration capabilities and all of the food stored at the facility. To make matters worse, the flood-soaked walls were beginning to show signs of mold.

Operation Blessing joined with another local non-profit, Bon Secours, to renovate the Storehouse, which helps hundreds of families each month in one of Norfolk’s poorest communities.

“Immediately when Operation Blessing came in, they said, ‘We’re going to help you rebuild,’ ” said Pastor Hammonds. “What we were dreaming, we could do now because Operation Blessing came in.”

After several months of construction, the newly-renovated and expanded Storehouse re-opened in February and began serving hundreds of families in need.

But OBI did more than just help them rebuild. They expanded the food pantry’s facility from 600 square feet to over 1,000 square feet, installed a brand new kitchen, and donated $10,000 to help the Storehouse continue to serve the people in their community.

OBI also stocked the kitchen with more than 40,000 pounds of food and will begin distributing more than 1,500 pounds of food to the pantry each month.

“We are able to do so much more because Operation Blessing stepped in,” said Pastor Hammonds.

Last month, OBI and partners held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the re-opening of the Storehouse, providing food and free medical screenings to 400 families.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

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