JENKS, Okla. — At the Jenks Community Food Bank, helping hands are feeding a need.
"There's no paid staff. We just all work together as a team," said Jenks Food Bank Volunteer Mike Means.
At the Food Bank, neighbors help neighbors; it's been like this for thirty years. "It takes close to 40 volunteers a week, giving over 130 hours, just to make it happen," said Means.
Two volunteers have been at the Jenks Community Food Bank since day one: Pam Newburn and Martha Rongey.
"You don't think about it and say,' I'm going to do this for only five or ten years. I mean, I blinked, and it's 30 years—how did that happen?'" Rongey said.
"Because of Pam and Martha and the foundation they laid, we're here today and able to serve as many people as we serve," said Means.
The Jenks Community Food Bank dates back to 1994. An Eagle Scout started it at the First Christian Church in Jenks.
"That's how it started-- in a closet in our church," said Rongey.
"We operated in that closet for about 3 or 4 years, then we moved to the old post office, and we were there for several years. Then we bought this property here," said 30-year volunteer Pam Newburn.
The Food Bank now sits in a 3,200-square-foot facility, where the non-profit provides food and other necessities to the Jenks school district residents.
Clients receive monthly groceries and come back for weekly produce. "At first, we had three clients we served every week, and now we serve on a weekly basis pretty much 100 to 110 families," said Newburn.
"People don't think of Jenks as having a real need for a food bank, but the Jenks Public Schools have over 40% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches, so there definitely is a need," said Means.
The Food Bank keeps its shelves stocked through a donation box outside, monetary gifts made through its website, and critical community partnerships with churches, clubs, local businesses, and other organizations and individuals.
"We couldn't do it alone, and that's why we wanted to be called the Jenks Community Food Bank because we are the community taking care of the community," said Rongey.
And this team of helpers could use a few more hands. "There's always room for more volunteers," said Newburn.
If you pitch in, you'll meet these two food bank lifers. Neither plans to slow down anytime soon.
"We're here. Sadly, we'd like to go out of business, but we'll never go out of business because there will always be a need," said Newburn.
"If there's something that you're passionate about, something that you love, and you want to help others, you're going to make time, and so I'm always going to have time to work here," said Rongey.
2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the Jenks Community Food Bank. You can learn more about the non-profit here.
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