When I asked him what his life verse would be, Pastor Mike Thomas of The Torch thought for a moment, “It changes over time but over the past few years I’ve focused more on ‘where things come from.'”
As I sat in his office, I noticed many pictures: his children, his wife, various mission trips, but he handed me one in a simple frame. The photo was of a woman, carrying a baby, pushing a stroller filled with food.
“James 1:17, ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,” he smiled, “that’s my life verse.”
The photo I held in my hands held great significance to him. It was taken the first day The Torch opened the Food Pantry in Cornelia at 236 Level Grove Road, just before Thanksgiving. The single mom had walked from her home and was the first person that day. Thomas remembers her well. “We probably put 100 pounds of food in her stroller, and I just watched as she walked away with her baby on her hip, pushing that stroller towards home.”
The Torch at 800 Cannon Bridge Road in Demorest, Georgia, began their Food Ministry 15 years ago, feeding 5 to 10 families per month. Today, The Torch, under the direction of Lead Pastor Mike Franklin, feeds 800 to 1000 families a month. “It is incredible what God is doing,” Thomas echoes with confidence.
Staffed by volunteers, the Food Pantry operates with hours that will help working families and single moms. The hours of operation are Mondays and Saturdays from 10:00am to 12:00pm and Wednesdays from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. “We try to accommodate various schedules,” Thomas explained. “When those days don’t work, we have a food give away the first Saturday of every month. Without our volunteers, we could not do it.”
When Pastor Mike Thomas was a child, his home burned down. His mom was attempting to raise three children as a single mom. If it were not for the churches in the area who supplied them with food and clothing, Thomas does not know how they would have made it. “Even though we did not attend church regularly,” he commented, “it was the churches who helped us out and made us whole again. I’ve never forgotten where our help came from.”
The process is simple enough. Each family receiving food is required to fill out an application in order to comply with USDA regulations; but, unlike other charities, The Torch does not ask for I.D. or a Social Security number. “The USDA specifies that families must meet certain economic levels; other than that, we at The Torch just desire to help people.”
On September 7, 2014, The Torch added a clothing ministry. 100 families were served and over 500 garments were given out.
“It is all for His glory,” Thomas stated. “When we have a surplus of food, we call other ministries and donate the food to them. It all comes from Him; we just move it around.”
If you are interested in donating to The Torch Food Ministry or need more information regarding their services, please call 706-778-4063.
