By Rita Howell
For the fifth time this year, the North Panola Church Collaborative will sponsor a mobile food pantry delivery to serve needy families in the north part of Panola County. The group works with the Mid-South Food Bank to distribute a load of fresh vegetables and fruit, frozen meat and other assorted food. The next delivery will be Tuesday, October 21 at Cistern Hill Church in Como, from 1-3 p.m.

 Prior to the food distribution, participants must be pre-screened and obtain vouchers. Screenings will be held at Cistern Hill Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday, October 15 from 2-6 p.m. Screenings will also be held in Sardis at the First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, October 14 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In August the Collaborative served 525 families, the biggest group so far.

To be eligible to receive food, families must qualify for SNAP, TANF, SSI or other government low income assistance and live in the following zip codes: 38619, 38666, 38621, 38665.

For each distribution, the Collaborative raises about $1,600 to pay for the food. About 50 volunteers are on hand to direct traffic and load bags of food into cars as the recipients drive through the church parking lot.

Members of the North Panola Church Collaborative are: Sardis United Methodist, Cistern Hill, Como United Methodist, Como Chapel, Como Baptist, Hammond Hill Baptist, Sardis Baptist, Holy Innocents Episcopal, Wesley Chapel, Walton Chapel, Como Church of Christ, and Cherry Street Baptist Church.