SPERRY, Okla. — The shelves at Sperry's Purple Pantry once again need to be restocked by Ryan and Sherri Bordner. Ryan's the senior pastor at Sperry Christian church. They fill the Purple Pantry, located right outside their front door, providing community members with a free place to pick up groceries. It's an opportunity that has become increasingly important with SNAP benefits likely to be put on hold.
Previous Coverage >>> 'Crisis that we’ve never seen’: Food bank leaders worried about SNAP benefits freeze
"I mean within our church, but within the community, there's a lot of people that are really, really concerned with how they're going to feed their families," Ryan Bordner said.
Ryan's wife, Sherri, is the children's pastor at the church and the chief organizer of the pantry, which is first-come, first-served. She sees these kids every week and keeps them in mind when refilling the pantry.
"Chef Boyardee, the microwavable mac and cheese's and things are very helpful for us because kids can come and grab those and eat them without parents having to worry about them cooking at home unsupervised," Sherri said.
WATCH: 'NOBODY SHOULD GO HUNGRY': Sperry's Purple Pantry feeding small town:
Bordner tells 2 News that even though Sperry's a small community, a lot of people here rely on those SNAP benefits. And the Purple Pantry's having a hard time keeping up.
"We have way fewer resources than some of the big cities," Ryan said. "Just based on sheer numbers. I don't want to say that ours is worse than others, but it's just different. It's just different out here."
The pantry has stayed busy the last few weeks. We spoke with a couple of people who didn't want to speak on camera, who said they depend on these resources.
"They're very appreciative. Even the kids they're very appreciative for food," Sherri said. "And that's one thing, if you ever want to see a child's appreciation of food, come to the Purple Pantry and see."
As demand rises, the Bordner's keep working to meet those needs.
"Man, we're a church," Ryan said. "Nobody should go hungry. And if we can do something to make a difference, that's exactly what we're going to do."
The pantry has a refrigerator for storing cold foods, and it also provides supplies for babies, including diapers and formula. If you'd like to donate or help out, you can visit their website or send them an email.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
