Ferguson church feeds 75 weekly as food pantry demand surges

St. Stephen's & The Vine Episcopal Church in Ferguson, Missouri, has operated a food pantry for more than 50 years. Since the federal government cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program last year, demand at the pantry has grown sharply. Before the SNAP cuts, the church served around 50 people on Tuesday mornings and more on Saturday mornings. Now it serves at least 75 people each day it operates. The Rev. Teresa Danieley, the church's part-time transitional priest, set up a GoFundMe page in late July after the church suffered a financial crisis when both HVAC systems broke down simultaneously and required replacement. As of September 17, the church had raised $19,150, which at current food costs and an operational expense average of $500 weekly can sustain the pantry for approximately 38 weeks. Ferguson's poverty rate stands at 24.2%, more than double the national average of 10.2%. The church also operates the Clay Café, a volunteer-run community meal ministry serving about 40 people for brunch and 75 for dinner monthly on the third Tuesday morning and third Sunday of each month. St. Stephen's & the Vine has formed partnerships with other local churches and organizations to supplement its efforts and is exploring additional collaborations to build long-term sustainability.

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Source: Episcopal News Service — https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/09/17/missouri-churchs-gofundme-seeks-to-sustain-food-pantry-as-more-people-go-hungry/