Dear i58 Community,
Every month, our distribution days bring us face-to-face with the reality of what local families are enduring. This past May was a powerful reminder that the need in our community goes much deeper than just the food on the table.
A Powerful Reminder in the Distribution Line
During our Saturday distribution, we had two separate vehicles overheat while waiting in line. The situations quickly called for a community effort—the cars had to be pushed out of the traffic path, required water to cool down, and one even needed an on-site repairman to get running again.
It was a moving scene to see volunteers and neighbors step up to help, but it also highlighted a heartbreaking truth: Many of the families we serve are being forced to make impossible choices every single day. When funds are low, do you choose food, rent, or vital car repairs?
For these families, a broken-down vehicle isn’t just an inconvenience—it can mean missing work, missing doctor appointments, or losing the ability to get help. That is exactly why i58 exists. By taking the burden of grocery costs off their shoulders, we are helping families keep their cars on the road and a roof over their heads.
📊 May By The Numbers
God provided abundantly this month, allowing our network of volunteers and partner organizations to move a massive amount of resources to those who need it most.
418 Families Served
1,971 Total Individuals Impacted
44 Dedicated Volunteers (Who didn’t hesitate to push cars!)
10 Partner Organizations & Churches working in unity
📦 An Abundance to Share for Months to Come!
We are thrilled to report that we received a grand total of 61,229 pounds of food for the month of May!
While not all of this was given out on Saturday, a significant portion consists of shelf-stable, packaged food graciously received from World Hunger. Because of this massive blessing, we will be able to continue distributing this food over the next several months! God is preparing us ahead of time to ensure our pantry remains stocked for the summer.
😀Volunteer Spotlight
For some, volunteering is a weekend task; for Lisa Gordon, it’s become a four-year journey of faith, family, and frozen foods. This month, we are thrilled to shine our spotlight on Lisa and share her heart for the i58 mission!
Lisa first discovered i58 through the Covenant Church website. She was originally looking for a service opportunity she could share with her teenage son—a way to bond while giving back. What she found, however, was much bigger than a mother-son project.
“It has become more like an extended family to me,” Lisa says.
If you visit us during a distribution day, you’ll likely find Lisa right in the thick of things, helping to package and distribute frozen foods. It’s a vital role that ensures our families receive high-quality proteins. But for Lisa, the “work” is secondary to the spiritual growth she’s experienced.
Through serving, she’s seen four key principles come to life:
Patience & Grace: Learning to walk alongside one another.
Empathy: Truly understanding the needs of our neighbors.
Gratitude: Seeing God’s provision in every box of food.
Service: Remembering that serving God’s people IS how we serve God.
As the number of families facing food insecurity continues to rise, Lisa sees the growing need for more hands and hearts. She describes i58 not just as a pantry, but as a body of believers that lifts one another up while lifting up the community.
Whether she’s in the freezer section or wherever a hand is needed, Lisa is committed to the future of i58.
Thank you Lisa!
💙 Thank You for Being the Hands and Feet
Whether you were one of the 44 volunteers sweating in the sun, one of the 10 organizations keeping our logistics moving, or a financial partner praying from home—thank you. You aren’t just helping us distribute food. You are helping us restore hope, ease impossible financial burdens, and show the tangible love of Jesus to families navigating incredibly tough seasons.
With gratitude,
The i58 Ministry Team
