Vardaman couple opens a food pantry to feed families in rural areas

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – In rural areas, food pantries aren’t widely recognized, which can sometimes leave people days without a meal.

However, one family in Calhoun County is trying to help.

Small towns face some of the same problems bigger cities face, just not with many resources to depend on.
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In Vardaman, a town fewer than 1,300 people, some families experience food insecurities.

That’s why Kim and Michael Kendall started the Blessing Box. It’s a local food pantry.

“A lot of people take a lot of things for granted so as you sit down and eat you need to think about the other people that don’t have what you have, ” said Kim Kendall.

The Kendall’s created the Blessing Box in 2017 to give non-perishables and personal hygiene items to those who need them.

“It’s usually stocked three times a day. Actually he has stocked this one already two times this morning. There is a great need and I wish and encourage others to want to give and to take notice and want to reach out to others and hopefully, other towns will try to do the same thing, ” said Kendall.

On average, the Kendall’s spend around $5,000 a year to keep the Blessing Box fully stocked, along with some help from generous donors.

“We have people that donate weekly, or some every other week when they can. A lot of the folks they just want to help just like we do and without the community it’s not possible to do it, ” said Michael Kendall.

If you would like to donate, you can simply drop it off, or place it in the blessing box.

“A lot of people are one or two paychecks from getting something out of that and I’ve had people come in the store and ask me if they can get some food. I might have to get something out of it next month, nobody is above it, ” said Kendall.

The Kendall’s hope their pantry continues to grow to help feed families in the area…living up to the town’s name.

“We’re a small town with a big heart, ” said Kendall.

The Blessing Box is open 24/7.