Ministry feeds thousands with the help of OBI and an unlikely volunteer
One Step Ministries in Cardwell, Missouri receives truckloads of food from OBI that help feed some 3,000 families in the Cardwell area.
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CARDWELL, Mo. - Every day Operation Blessing's Hunger Strike Force tractor-trailer fleet is on the move, delivering – on average – an incredible 8 million pounds of food and relief supplies per month to some 123 organizations across the United States.
On the volunteer-level, that makes for a whole lot of food to bag. Just ask Tony Hargrove of One Step Ministries.
On a monthly basis, One Step receives truckloads of food from OBI that help feed some 3,000 families in the Cardwell area. Since many of One Step's recipients are elderly or house-bound, the food must be divided, bagged, and boxed for transportation across town.
One Step runs a number of community outreach programs such as adult literacy classes, after-school and school supply programs, and a mobile medical and dental clinic offering free healthcare to the uninsured.
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That's where Hargrove comes in. As a volunteer with One Step's food distribution program, Hargrove can accurately scoop and measure out three pounds of beans or rice, every time. What makes this feat remarkable is that Hargrove, a retired truck driver, has been blind since 1983.
"He is truly a special and amazing person," said Deborah Harper, the administrator at One Step. "He does a lot around here and does it well."
At his home, Tony has lines strung from the back door to his work shop in the backyard, where he routinely repairs things. In addition to volunteering with the food program, Hargrove also helped install the plumbing at One Step's main office building.
"It took some time but I managed and got it done," Hargrove said.
Volunteers like Hargrove are instrumental in helping support One Step's many outreach programs.
In addition to managing the over 449,000 lbs. of food and product received from Operation Blessing this year, One Step also runs a number of community outreach programs such as adult literacy classes, after-school and school supply programs, and a mobile medical and dental clinic offering free healthcare to the uninsured.
"On a daily basis, we love every aspect of what we do and what we can offer," said Melodia Matayabas, One Step's food director. "We know that with God's help we can do anything." How You Can Help
Through soup kitchens, a fleet of Hunger Strike Force trucks, and a broad network of local agencies, Operation Blessing provides food to tens of thousands of hungry children and adults across the United States. Your financial gift will continue to help bring hunger relief to those in need.
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