Main Street Market

The Main Street Market Food Pantry

Our member-led food pantry, the Main Street Market, is one of the most visible ways we serve our neighbors. The pantry is open to all and provides families in our community with the food they need to feed their households with dignity and care. We believe that no one should have to choose between paying their bills and putting food on the table, and the Main Street Market exists to help bridge that gap.

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The Main Street Market is operated by volunteers from our congregation—people who shop, organize, unload deliveries, pack boxes, offer hospitality, and lovingly greet every guest who walks through our doors. This is not a distant ministry; it is a face-to-face ministry. Names are learned. Stories are shared. Prayers are offered. Friendships form. The pantry is as much about connection as it is about provision.

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Our Mission:

In Christ for Community.  In Community for Christ.

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That mission comes to life at the Main Street Market. Through weekly food distributions, our church provides support to hundreds of families in Erwin and across Unicoi County each year. Some come only once. Some come for a season. Some come regularly as they work to regain stability. Every person is welcomed with compassion, dignity, and respect.

We know that hunger is not just a lack of food—it can also be a sign of isolation, stress, or transition. So we strive to ensure that the pantry is not simply a place to receive assistance, but a place to feel seen, valued, and accompanied.

How It Works

• Monthly Distribution Days: Families and individuals are invited to receive groceries once per week.

• Personalized Care: Volunteers talk with families to help them choose the items they need most.

• Fresh, Shelf-Stable, and Seasonal Items: We work to provide balanced food selections with dignity of choice.

• Hospitality Matters: Warm greetings, patient listening, humble prayer, and a sincere welcome are just as important as the groceries themselves.

Why We Serve

We serve because Christ served.
We give because Christ gave.
We love because Christ first loved us.

The Main Street Market reflects the heart of our congregation—a desire to live out the Gospel in practical and compassionate ways. We believe that faith is not something we only speak; it is something we do.

How to Get Involved

There are many ways to participate in the Main Street Market ministry:

• Donate non-perishable food items

• Help unload and organize food shipments

• Assist in packing or distributing groceries

• Offer hospitality and greet guests on distribution days

• Pray for the families we serve and the volunteers who serve them

Every role matters. Every hand helps. Every gesture of kindness is part of the work.