Joseph Storehouse plans to give out more than 3,000 wheelbarrows of food to local families this year.

Bob Evans, founder of Joseph Storehouse, inspects boxes of donated food items before distribution.

LEBANON, Tenn. - It seems no accident that Bob Evans was born to be in the food business. Not to be confused with Bob Evans, the Ohio farmer turned restaurateur, this Bob started his first food pantry in 1981 as an outreach ministry of the church where he worked as a full-time pastor.

In 1999, Bob decided to make the food needs of his community his full-time job and started the Joseph Storehouse. Ironically, of all the places for his outreach center to land, Bob chose to open his food warehouse in a small building located on Tater Peeler Rd.

Almost seven years later, with the help of Operation Blessing and other partnering organizations, Joseph Storehouse has expanded into a major feeding program - giving out food by the wheelbarrow – literally.

Operating out of a 9,000 square foot warehouse, Bob and his team of 60 volunteers push loaded wheelbarrows of food out to the long line of cars arriving for the Storehouse’s monthly food distribution. The Storehouse, which receives a tractor-trailer truckload of product from OBI every month, plans to give out more than 3,000 wheelbarrows of food to local families this year.

"There are no words to express what a blessing OBI has been . . . helping us with our food needs," Bob said.

In addition to their monthly onsite distributions, the Storehouse also delivers truckloads of food to five surrounding counties, helping underprivileged families who live in the Appalachian areas of Eastern Tennessee and Kentucky.

"We do not just want to hand them a small sack of food over a counter," Bob said. "We try to take time to let them know we care about them – as well as their food needs."

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Every day, Operation Blessing brings nutritious food and essential supplies to thousands facing hunger and poverty in America and around the world. With your help, we can continue to impact lives and give hope to those who need it most. Consider making an online donation today.

 

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