KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
August 28, 2019
By Natalie Cook Clark
Katy Christian Ministries will host a Community Food Fair this Saturday, August 31. The goal of the event is to make a difference in the lives of the many area families who are food insecure.
Serving Families in Drive-Thru Process
Since April of 2017 Katy Christian Ministries (KCM,) a local non-profit, has regularly served almost 1,500 families in a drive-thru style setup. Residents are given free produce and other items as available.
"For the many local families who are food insecure, this makes a big difference in their ability to feed their families healthy foods," says Katherine Petterson, KCM Director of Communications.
Event This Saturday
The next Community Food Fair will be this Saturday, August 31 9:30 am to 11:30 am at Katy's Powerhouse Church at 1818 Katyland Drive.
Cars Line Up Early
"Cars begin to line up even 2 hours in advance of the start of the event to wait for their opportunity for this free produce," says Petterson. With cars lining up early, many times, the food is all distributed within the first hour.
Other Services Info Available
"We will often offer supplemental services and information opportunities for such as information about Health Benefits Access Programs, services to victims of domestic and sexual abuse, and more," says Petterson.
The Community Food Fair is sponsored by Powerhouse Church. They have taken this project on as a way to get their congregation involved in serving the community through KCM.
"They have been the event sponsor each month for the last two years and are deeply invested in the operations of the event," explains Petterson.
The largest distribution to date was April of 2018 where KCM distributed 20,671 pounds of food during the two-hour time frame of the event. KCM orders the food through their partnership with the Houston Food Bank and the produce selection varies based on availability and seasonal selections.
Event Inspired Harvey Aid
This event inspired the method of how the organization was able to help thousands after Hurricane Harvey.
"In the days after Harvey, we were able to use this same drive-thru style model to serve thousands of families needing emergency supplies, cleaning kits, food, water, personal care items and more," says Petterson. "Our own building had flooded and in the midst of ripping out our own walls and carpet, we were accepting donations from the back door, accounting for them by volunteers weighing and counting inventory, then immediately distributing the supplies out of the front of the building."
Serving Katy Communities Since 1984
Katy Christian Ministries is a social services organization that has been serving local families since 1984. They were founded during a time of financial recession, and the need for services to families struggling financially. KCM has grown to include a holistic model of services to families in need, helping them regain hope, resiliency, and self-sufficiency.
Get involved and learn more about Katy Christian Ministries by visiting their website.