SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky pastor has found a creative way to combat hunger in his community.
Rob Beckett built Bullitt County’s first Shepherds Pantry in 2016 after he got the idea from a social media post. He says someone posted that like Little Libraries, which offer a place for people to leave and take books, pantries should be built to do the same with food.
“I saw that, and I just knew right away that it was something I needed to do,” Beckett said. “And within an hour and a half, I was down at the lumber store and getting some plywood, and I was already in the garage building the first one.”
Beckett placed his first Shepherds Pantry outside of his church, Shepherdsville First Church of The Nazarene. For the past six years, it’s been a place where anyone in the community can donate or pick up nonperishable food items.
“People get help with it 24/7, literally day and night. It’s being used. It’s never closed. As long as there’s something in it, you’re welcome to it,” Beckett said, adding, “The slogan we have on most of the pantries is, ‘Take what you need, give what you can,’ and that’s exactly what happens.”
Soon after he put up the first pantry, he began building more—and he was well-equipped.
“Before I became a pastor, I actually had a contracting business, so I did fences, decks, remodeling, and so construction was always something that I’ve always done.”
Beckett built the first 20, then realized he would need some help, so he drew up plans that others can easily follow to build a pantry of their own.
“Churches, other organizations wanted to be part of it, and now, in Bullitt County itself, we have about 30 of them that I have listed the locations for, but as far as what I know about, there’s about 45 total all around the area, the region. And, so, the idea has just taken off,” Beckett said.
The pantries can be found in front of busy places across Bullitt County, like the courthouse and health department. Bullitt County Health officials say it’s an important service because around 11% of people in the county struggle with food insecurity.
They have also placed Shepherds Pantries outside of some schools in Bullitt County. Beckett says demand for the food inside of them always goes up during the summer when children aren’t getting free lunches at school and their families need to provide more meals for them.
Meanwhile, back at Beckett’s Church, the ministry of feeding the hungry has grown. Right around the corner from his church, in an old grocery space, he opened a much larger food pantry where he’s able to help families on an even larger scale.
Adding to the non-perishable foods people can get in Shepherds Pantries, the food boxes there include bread, fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meat. Rationed meal boxes are also available for people living out of their cars.
Through helping make his community more food secure, Beckett hopes to show that great change can begin with something small.