Angel Food Ministries goes out of business

Amazing Grace had been serving 30-35 families a month

STERLING – Angel Food Ministries is going out of business after 17 years of providing discounted groceries to needy families across the country, citing the economic downturn affecting many of the organization’s customers as its downfall.

The multimillion dollar food nonprofit says it will cease operations immediately, according to a statement provided to The Associated Press.

“Angel Food has not been immune from the same economic and market conditions that led to the loss of other food ministries,” the statement reads. “We realize the pressure that this places on our host sites, community food banks and customers. We at Angel Food Ministries are truly heartbroken to have to cease operations but it has not compromised our faith in God or our commitment to helping those in need.”

The program has been offered at Amazing Grace Church in Sterling for almost 5 years, serving 30 to 35 families a month, Outreach Director Sue Nobis said. About 40 to 50 boxes of food were sold a month, she said.

That’s half of what was being sold in July 2009, according to SVM archives.

The national organization had said it was not filling orders for September and said it would refund money already paid.

“I kind of saw it coming when they canceled September,” Nobis said. “It’s sad, but I guess I understand.

“They’re a good organization. They tried to help a lot of people, but with decline orders, rising food and fuel costs, it wasn’t feasible.”

Over the years, the local program has served thousands of people, Nobis said, adding that some families bought the meals every month.

“We had some that were just very faithful,” she said. “The service provided really helped them out with their food budgets. We had families that regularly ordered every single month.”

The Rev. Loren Schlomer was instrumental in bringing Angel Food Ministries to the church, Nobis said.

“He really has a heart to reach out to the community and help,” she said. “This was a way he and Amazing Grace were able to do that.”

Angel Food was started in 1994 by pastors Joe and Linda Wingo with 34 families in Monroe, Ga. At its height, the organization grew through a network of over 5,000 churches to feed more than 500,000 families a month in 35 states, including Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Illinois, New Jersey, California, Kentucky and Indiana.

There was no income requirement to participate, but the program was aimed at families in need. Typically, people could place orders of multi-meal boxes of meat, vegetables, fruit and other staples from a menu that varied monthly. The food cost between 30 and 50 percent less than what they would typically pay at a grocery store.

The increased price of fuel and food, along with a growing number of customers who were unable to pay, contributed to a decline in sales, Angel Food spokesman Steve Savage said. In the span of 4 years, organizers said Angel Food’s orders decreased from about 550,000 boxes a month to about 125,000 boxes a month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.