Words of Encouragement
Recently, we received a couple of notes of encouragement from two of our ministry partners. They were
such an encouragement to us that we wanted to share them with you along with an article that was
written about Caring Ministries.
The following is an article from the February, 2010, Newsletter of one of our local churches that has been a
faithful supporter to our ministry programs in many different ways for many years. The writer and her
husband have also served as volunteers at Caring Ministries.
News from the Mission Field
“Caring Ministries is one of the local missions that Pantano Baptist supports. We have given food
and money for food boxes at Thanksgiving as well as candy for baskets at Easter. Some of our
members also support them individually. How much do you know about what Caring Ministries
does?
• Caring Ministries (CM) is the 2nd largest distributor of food to the poor, needy and hungry in
Southern Arizona, second only to the Food Bank. In 2009 they distributed almost 4 million
pounds of food to 58 distribution sites (missions and churches). Caring Ministries is located at
820 W. Calle Sur near Old Pasqua Village.
• Every first and third Saturday of the month a Bible Study and Worship service is held and
afterwards food is distributed to all who have attended and listened to God’s Word. The
ministry was started in 1971, by Ross Hanna and originally operated out of the Sharing
Ministries Church, one of a number of Baptist churches that Ross started.
• CM was licensed as a non-profit organization in 1992, and keeps on growing. The day to day
operation CM are in the hands of Jerry Gollihue, Ross’s able son-in-law, along with volunteers
from the local community as well as a few volunteers who come from around the country as
traveling missionaries. CM has decreased their furniture and clothing distribution but still
accepts these items as there is always a need.
• CM gets the food they distribute from 39 grocery stores and outlets around the city 6 days a
week. The Food Bank also gives them their extra fresh nourishing food for produce to distribute
before it might spoil. Refrigerated trucks leave for an orphanage in Mexico weekly filled with
nourishing food for children forgotten by society. Just watching the work each day is amazing!
Many young people who live near CM help out on Saturday, and any other day they don’t have
work.
• Although the work is done by volunteers there are still significant expenses: from electricity for
coolers and freezers to insurance, gas and repairs for vehicles. It costs about $17,000.00 per
month to operate CM and this is without any capital improvement. Pantano Baptist gives a
small amount each month as do other local and national churches, but by far the most comes
from individual supporters. Jerry Gollihue says that God has always provided. Sometimes a
special financial gift comes in when there is a specific need, and it comes in before the need is
even made public!
If you want to see Matthew 25:35 in practice, visit Caring Ministries.”
~Ann Mellor, Benevolence Committee
Pantano Baptist Church