A Bargain and a Blessing

I’m being fed by Black Episcopalians.

Thank you Jesus.

Rather I should say Angel Food Ministries is feeding me by way of the Black Episcopalians.

The Ministry started in 1994 as a sort of a food pantry in Monroe, Georgia in response to plant closings in the area.

According to Angel Food’s website “Over the next few years, other churches wanted to get involved and Angel Food began feeding hundreds of families across the southeast. Now, Angel Food feeds over 500,000 families a month in 35 states.”

And boy am I ever grateful.

Say what you will about faith based initiatives but this one is allowing me to eat without spending insane amounts of money.

I’m sure you good folks have seen the effect of fuel prices on the cost of food.

You just wait until the effects of the recent Midwestern floods.

When you all can’t afford to feed yourselves or your families and beat a path to Angle Food’s door you can send me a note of thanks.

The concept is simple and quite straight forward---you pay $30.00 for a basic box of food (heavy on the meat) that is intended to feed a family of four for about a week or a single person for about a month.

Once you purchase the basic box, you can purchase one or more of four specialty boxes that range from a 7 lb. assorted meat grilled box to a fresh fruit and veggie box. In fact, check out what you can get for the month of July:

JULY SPECIAL #1
7 lb. Assorted Meat Grill Box - $20.00
(1.5 lb. New York Strip Steaks (2 x 12 oz.)
2.5 lb. Boneless Netted Boston Butt Roast
2 lb. Meaty Beef Ribs
1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage)

JULY SPECIAL #2
4.5 lb. Steak and Chicken Combo Box - $20.00
(1.5 lb. Kansas City Strips (2 x 12 oz.)
1.5 lb. Bone-In Ribeyes (2 x 12 oz.)
1.5 lb. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Filet (4 x 6 oz.))

JULY SPECIAL #3
10 lb. Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders - $18.00

JULY SPECIAL #4
Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box - $16.00
6 ears Corn
2 lb. Carrots
2 lb. Yellow Onions
1 Cello-Wrapped Lettuce
1 Pineapple
4 California Oranges
1 Seedless Watermelon
6 Russet Potatoes

Not bad, eh?

And the best part is that there are no income verifications or forms to fill out. They don’t want your personal background---well at least the Black Episcopalians didn’t give me the third degree---all they want to know is what you want and how much.

Like I said, simple.

Now that’s not to say that there isn’t what could be described as tracts or at the very least inspirational messages placed in every food order. While I don’t have a problem with it, those of you who do it’s a small price to pay to be able to eat.

Plus the way the world is going today, perhaps we need to revisit our relationship with a higher power.

I’m just sayin’.

So to paraphrase the Blues Brothers I’m going up north to put the word in the street.

I’m giving you the hook up the same way I gave it to my friend and former co-worker who got laid off with me after getting it from my sister.

Now that I look back on how she and I got on the subject of Angel Food it’s quite comical.

My Sister: Yeah, I need to marinate my T-bones before I put them on the grill.

Me: (Sputtering) T-bones? Heffa, even though my income has been
severely cut, I know I still make more money than you. I can’t
afford a can of Spam but your trifflin’ ass is eating T-bones?
What gives? Did you get a better job?

My Sister: Oh, did I not tell you about the hookup?

Me: Hell no---spill it.

My Sister: Let me hip you to the deal---Angel Food Ministries.

And from that conversation I went to the website and found the Black Episcopalians.

Who, might I add, are a hoot.

More on them later.

Go feed yourselves.