A food pantry that has provided for thousands of desperate people for nearly six years, itself is now in desperate need of financial assistance.
The monthly rent at the Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry doubled nine months ago, said its founder, Pastor C.J. Johns Sr.
They now have to pay $6,000 a month for the space they rent at 21418 Carson Drive, Suite A, in Land O’ Lakes. The rent was $3,000 a month until its previous lease expired on April 30, 2023.
And the rent could be even higher when the new lease is effective this coming May 1, Johns said. He added that he is praying the landlord will lower the rent to $5,500 a month, but he has no assurance that will happen.
The pastor believes the only other way the food pantry, which is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, will be able to stay in business is if five individual corporate sponsors each contribute $10,000 to $12,000, or one sponsor contributes $50,000 to $60,000 over the next year.
The situation is even worse than that — the pantry needs about $15,000 immediately, since it’s been struggling to pay its rent for the remainder of its current lease, Johns said. And a 10% penalty of $600 will be charged for each month in which a rent payment isn’t made on time.
The pantry supports the homeless, elderly, veterans and other people who are barely getting by on low incomes.
veterans of different branches of the United States armed forces. The flag was
actually flown in Vietnam during that war and was donated by a combat veteran.
“The time now is ‘do or die’ for this food pantry,” Johns said.
Applications have already been made for some grants, as the pantry is now in its fourth year of operating as a 501c3 organization. However, competition for those grants is fierce and there would probably be a six-month delay — or longer — in getting funds even if a grant was awarded, Johns said.
The cost to run the facility is an additional $2,000 a month. That extra money is needed to pay for insurance and utilities. Gasoline also must be bought for volunteers who use their own vehicles to pick up food and other necessities. And the electric bill has increased significantly during the summer because the facility must be kept cool so food won’t spoil, Johns added.
The pantry is the victim of a domino effect, said Angel Walker, one of several unpaid volunteer workers who donates time and energy to meet the needs of people who come in.
Walker gave the example of a group of eight people — three adults and five children — who had received groceries valued at $300 earlier on March 19. Several of those people had to move in with another family because they couldn’t afford to pay their own rent.
The food pantry is only able to pay its rent on a wing and a prayer, Johns said. And it won’t be able to pay even a slight amount more when the new lease becomes effective.
where people visiting the pantry wait until it is time for them to pick up food
and other things they need.
“This area will be severely impacted if we have to close or to relocate,” Johns said.
A PayPal account is available through which contributions may be made at:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=5BZJ5FSHQNUCN.
Any corporate sponsor or individual who contributes to this fundraising campaign will be making a significant investment in improving the lives of possibly thousands of people whom the food pantry will serve — not only in 2024, but possibly in years to come, according to Johns.
He said that the return on investment can’t be measured in dollars or cents because there’s no value that can be placed on helping people who are in need. “We keep fighting for people who nobody wants to talk about,” Johns said.
He added he estimates more than 100 homeless people who had considered taking their own lives didn’t commit suicide due to the help they had received from the pantry.
The pantry offers a large variety of food, ranging from ready-to-cook meals, canned goods, cereal, pet food and everything in between, according to Walker. People who come in are able to take a cart around and select specific food items that are needed for themselves or for their family. The only restriction is on the amount of food they can take and that’s based on how many people for whom the food is needed, Walker said.
“This is a one-of-a-kind food pantry,” Johns said, adding he doubts any other food pantry in Florida has the products that are available at Father and Son.
And, it isn’t just about food. More than 250 gifts and several bicycles were given to children this past Christmas, Johns said.
Also, hundreds of toys are available at the pantry. A Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch in Brooksville donated the majority of them. Children who accompany their parents or guardians to the pantry are given toys.
A trailer in which people could take showers was set up at the pantry on March 12. Also, a hairdresser visits once a month and provides free cuts to people.
Additional information about the pantry is on its website, at FatherAndSonFreeFoodPantry.org, or their Facebook page. It can be reached at 813-846-9993 and inquiries can be sent to .
Published March 27, 2024
food pantry. Many homeless people appreciate being able to have a safe place to
clean themselves.
ready-to-cook meals offered by the pantry.
