Community Spotlight: CELC Outreach Food Pantry

This video highlighting the CELC Food Pantry was created for the Grand Canyon Synod Assembly by Darren Coyle, son of a CELC member.

Volunteers sort food donations to fill pantry shelves

The Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (CELC) Outreach Food Pantry has been in existence since 2003 and currently serves 65-75 households weekly. In 2024, the CELC Outreach Ministry through its Tuesday food distribution program provided more than 3,331 food boxes and provided food for over 16,194 individuals! Food donations from members and community business partners supplement the food received from St. Mary's Food Bank to fill pantry shelves. The pantry is affiliated with St. Mary’s Food Bank which is also a part of the Feeding America program and is fully licensed by Maricopa County. 

Members look forward to participating in the annual Souper Bowl and March Madness Cereal Bowl brackets to raise funds and donate food for the food pantry.

Over 40 volunteers from the congregation and community show up regularly to set up tables, weigh, sort, and store food, register households, fill boxes, drive to St. Mary's weekly, pick up food from our grocery rescue partners, clean and sanitize tables and the kitchen equipment, direct traffic in the parking lot, and distribute food boxes to client vehicles.

Volunteers receive and prepare food for weekly distribution

Bins waiting to be filled with food

2025 March Madness Cereal Bracket (final)