Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit, non-denominational organization dedicated to providing food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States. The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Ga. (between Atlanta and Athens), and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families every month across 44 states. Angel Food Ministries crosses denominational lines.

Angel Food is available in a quantity that can fit into a medium-sized box at $30 per unit. Each months menu is different than the previous month and consists of both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. In comparison shopping across the country in a wide range of retail grocery stores, the same food items cost between $42 and $78.

Generally, one unit of food assists in feeding a family of four for about one week or a single senior citizen for almost a month. The food is all the same high quality one could purchase at a grocery store. There are no second-hand items, no damaged or outdated goods, no dented cans without labels, no day-old breads and no produce that is almost too ripe.

Also offered are specialty boxes such as steaks, chicken and pork. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of units or bonus foods an individual can receive, and there are no applications to complete or qualifications to which participants must adhere. Angel Food Ministries also participates in the U.S. Food Stamp program, using the Off-Line Food Stamp Voucher system.

In 1994, pastors Joe and Linda Wingo found their hearts going out to the families of many of the local families in Monroe, Ga., affected by industrial plant closings.

Everyone is encouraged to participate. Some churches even encourage participants to apply the money they saved to help someone else in need.

Orders and distribution are handled by church host sites. Orders are collected by the host sites during the first part of each month. These orders are then turned in to the Angel Food main office in Monroe, Ga., on a predetermined date. Several days later, in the same month, the host site either picks up the food from Angel Foods 160,000 square feet warehouse to fill the orders on distribution day or, because this ministry is growing nationwide, food is delivered to the host site by a pre-arranged delivery mode. In most cases, as long as there is a truck headed in the direction of a community that wants this program and sees its ministry influence, there are no extra transportation costs.

from www.angelfoodministries.com