When a fire destroyed the Guiding Light Food Pantry in Pike County last month, it didn’t just take a building. It wiped out every shelf, every box, every resource the pantry had prepared for families facing the winter months. For Pastor Tim Coleman and the volunteers who serve their neighbors, the loss felt devastating.
“It was a total disaster. It was devastating,” Coleman said.
But in the hours that followed, something powerful happened.
The community rallied. Churches stepped forward. Volunteers poured in. And God’s Pantry Food Bank moved quickly to ensure that no one in Elkhorn City would go hungry.
Guiding Light Food Pantry has served as a trusted partner agency of God’s Pantry Food Bank since 2016. As local demand for assistance has grown, so has the pantry’s role in the community—making the fire’s impact especially significant.
When God’s Pantry Food Bank learned of the situation, staff immediately contacted Guiding Light to coordinate an emergency mobile food pantry distribution. A Food Bank truck arrived at Elkhorn City Baptist Church, where volunteers organized a large-scale distribution for families throughout the area.
“We are going to make sure the people of Elkhorn City are taken care of—no matter the situation,” said Lanette Hunt Pinson of God’s Pantry Food Bank.
Cars lined the block, volunteers filled the parking lot, and families received the food.
Guiding Light Pastor Tim Coleman described the turnout as “overwhelming” and “unexpected,” adding that collaboration with partners makes all the difference as the pantry prepares to rebuild.
While the pantry building was a total loss, Guiding Light’s commitment to Pike County remains strong. Until the pantry is able to rebuild and restock, God’s Pantry Food Bank will continue providing mobile food pantry distributions, so the people of Pike County receive the food they need to thrive.
Guiding Light is also able to provide food rescued from local retailers, including fresh produce picked up from Walmart through God’s Pantry Food Bank’s Food Rescue Program.
“We give out produce from Walmart three days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, every single week,” Coleman said.
The response to the Guiding Light fire highlights the strength of community partnerships and the importance of a coordinated hunger relief network. It underscores the essential role local pantries play—and how organizations like God’s Pantry Food Bank work alongside them to ensure consistent access to food.
Together, we remain committed to supporting Pike County throughout recovery and beyond.
