There is not much question some people in Wood County face food challenges.

In the region served by the East Texas Food Bank, the estimate is one in five families.

There are also many dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to meet those challenges through a variety of organizations.

One is the Rose Hill Food Pantry north of Mineola.

The efforts of Kris and Bill Ware and a small group who pitches in has helped grow the food bank into a reliable source, whether it be the scheduled monthly food distributions, emergency food they keep on hand for such times and an ever-evolving intake and output of foods.

The food pantry is housed in the facilities of the Rose Hill Baptist Church, though not an official church ministry.

Anyone who shows up on the second Wednesday at 10 a.m. is able to get a monthly food box, without qualification, and there is also a list of senior citizens (60 and older) who obtain food boxes provided by the East Texas Food Bank.

An additional distribution is held on the third Saturday for those who can’t make the weekday event. They also make a monthly trip to the Enchanted Lakes area southwest of Mineola where about 30 families are served. And there are additional outreach efforts.

The food bank is part of a circle that the Wares describe in this area that is a network of groups and organizations who fill the need for those with food challenges.

One of those groups that particularly concerns the Wares is veterans who may be in need but won’t reach out.

Kris said she has been working with groups who have regular contact with veterans to try to improve that outreach, but without much success.

She explains that food challenges have been exacerbated by the pandemic, especially from those losing their jobs.

During that trying time the Rose Hill pantry has remained open and able to assist.

The back half of the church gym serves as the warehouse for the pantry while the front half is shared with the church where it holds meals and other gatherings. That part serves as the staging area for what has become a well-oiled machine.

They try to keep a three-month supply on hand at all times. Several freezers hold frozen foods, primarily meats, and the Wares also have a large refrigerated unit in the garage of their home for the overflow.

As the vehicles line up off Rose Hill Road west of Hwy. 37 on the third Wednesday – some as early as 8 a.m. for the 10 o’clock distribution – the team of volunteers has organized the weekly offering into its various components which may include fresh vegetables, fresh meats and eggs, desserts and canned and packaged foods.

The boxes may contain other various items from toiletries to paper goods.

The goal is to service each vehicle in 45 seconds to a minute. A lot of good-natured back-and-forth punctuates the volunteers’ work.

Each family receives goods enough to provide seven meals for a family of four.

The food bank subsists on a variety of resources. The Wares and their team have become adept at finding a variety of sources for food at free or reduced prices.

The East Texas Food Bank is a major player in fighting food challenges in the region, and the Rose Hill pantry is a regular client.

A variety of regular and one-time cash donations help keep the ministry afloat – and sometimes what Bill and Kris call the Ware Foundation, which means out-of-pocket.

The Wares have been volunteering at various food banks in the area since retiring to Mineola in 2006.

So getting more directly involved was just a natural extension of those efforts. It has grown to 154,000 pounds of food distributed last year.

“God put us here for a reason,” she said.

They hope one day to find a permanent home for the food bank which began in 2018 from an effort by the local pastor to pick up food from an area food bank and get it to a few families.

Donations may be sent to the Rose Hill Food Pantry in care of Bill Ware, 1612 Robin St., Mineola TX 75773.

Other food resources locally include the Kindness Kottage and Bread of Life Ministry in Mineola, the Mercy Mall in Quitman and the Alba-Golden Food pantry.

The East Texas Food Bank has also begun a monthly food distribution on the third Wednesday at the football stadium in Quitman from 10 a.m.-noon. The next event is March 16.