Mount Joy—A random act of kindness- a chance encounter, and a food bank in Mount Joy is helping those in need.
During a recent holiday weekend, Valerie Zabodyn was shopping at the local Aldi Grocery Store located on Fruitville Pike in Lancaster.
Zabodyn was hard at work filling up her grocery cart with cans of fruit, and vegetables, including whatever non-perishable items she felt could benefit the food bank she helps out with at the Faith Outreach Center, a small country church located in Mount Joy.
As Zabodyn filled the cart, we began a conversation about the need for food and supplies “I am only able to do this due to a generous donation that came into our food bank this morning” She said. “Our faith-based outreach provides food boxes monthly to anyone residing in Lancaster County”.
The Outreach program is open from 3 pm to 5 pm on the last Wednesday of each month and they provide both food and resources.
It was extra special to meet her on a busy holiday weekend when people are typically rushing around to get those last-minute picnic items.
Valerie Zabodyn is the church secretary and expressed she was grateful that she had the opportunity to do this for her Mount Joy Church. “I am just paying it forward,” she said.
We spoke with the pastor of the Faith Outreach Center, Tom Alderson who had recently been relocated here and is serving in that area.
A local woman in the community who passes the church on her way to work each day noticed the American flag had a small rip in it from the recent heavy winds, Alderson explained.
The resident (not a member of the outreach) explained she knew flag protocol and decided she wanted to donate the church a new flag.
We learned that the Faith Outreach Center had also just received another unexpected gift, a brand new American Flag— “in time for Independence day” said Alderson.
“This is the kind of good news we like to hear about”, said Zabodyn. A wonderful patriot, loving her country, who saw a need and went right into action.
When you think about it- our country is made up of a lot of people who have big hearts, like Zabodyn shopping for the food bank, the anonymous man who made the generous contribution, or much like the stranger who just loves our great country and gifted the flag.
“Lancaster is a great area”, said Sam Cooke, a local vet in the area, “full of good and wonderful people who believe in paying it forward”.
It appears no matter what community you live in, there is always a good person close by looking for an opportunity to reach out, and for many, it is the food bank at the Faith Outreach Center.
Faith Outreach Center 475 Anderson Ferry Rd Mount Joy
