Malachi 3:10 states the following:

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

A recently launched non-profit organization in Cross Plains is taking these words from the scripture and putting them into action. Welcome to The Storehouse Ministry.

Located in a building generously donated by owners Dan and Debbie Green on 109B North Cedar Street behind historic Thomas Drugs, The Storehouse Ministry combines the mission work of three local churches — Life Center Church, Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, and Orlinda Baptist Church — into a central hub serving the needs of people in eastern Robertson County. The concept was spawned by Alyssa Eden, who now serves as the ministry’s director.

“It all started out of a conversation I had with Mary Phil Ilges, who was leading Mt. Carmel’s missions team at the time, about the desire to have a place right here in our community where people could come and have access to food and other resources,” says Alyssa, who attends Life Center Church.

“There are resources available in Robertson County, but everyone here has to travel to access them. We thought it would be great to have one centralized location to help meet the needs of people from Cross Plains, Orlinda, and the eastern part of the county,” she continues.

Once word spread about this wish, Alyssa was amazed at how quickly support was garnered to make it a reality.

“Literally the next day after my conversation with Mary Phil, we had a location and lots of people wanting to be involved,” she marvels. “It was incredible.”

The Storehouse Ministry is currently operating as a food bank. That outreach started in April with pantry items donated by the partnering churches and has since expanded to include frozen items thanks to the gift of a freezer. Each Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., those in need can come and be welcomed by volunteers who assemble and lovingly give out bags of food.

Though the focus is on assisting those from eastern Robertson County, Alyssa stresses that “no one will be turned away.”

“We started out slow, but it’s starting to build,” she says. “I post about the food bank each week on the HIP Facebook pages for Cross Plains, Orlinda, Springfield, and White House, and people are seeing and sharing those posts. The folks who come have been so thankful.”

She continues, “For some people, going into a church can be intimidating. They feel like they have to put on a front. Here, we’ll greet them at the door, and I think that makes a difference. It’s a sincere approach of ‘We’re here for you. Let us take care of your needs.’”

Alyssa excitedly shares that the food bank is only the beginning of what The Storehouse Ministry wants to accomplish in fulfilling its “Christ-centered” mission. There are many other ways the organization plans to spread its benevolence, such as counseling, family planning, financial planning, addiction recovery, and career building.

Another desire is to use the building space as a site for other organizations to use. Alyssa says they hope to partner with Hope Center Ministries, a Cross Plains-based drug and alcohol treatment center, to hold Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

“I’m a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) advocate, so I would like to make The Storehouse Ministry a place where families can have their supervised visits as opposed to a stuffy office. Just a more welcoming space,” she adds.

Blessed with a heart to serve and surrounded by others who are like-minded, Alyssa feels optimistic about what the future holds for this vision turned reality. It’s deeply personal for her, she says.

“I grew up needing resources like this at different points, so I understand. There’s a sense of empathy you have when you’ve experienced it firsthand. I’m focused on keeping my eyes on the prize and being the hands and feet of Jesus.”

For more information about The Storehouse Ministry, visit its Facebook page. To volunteer your time or items for the food pantry, call Alyssa Eden at 615-686-3448.

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