In tough economic times, everyone is looking for ways to cut back and save. Food is a necessity that can't always be scrimped on, but several area churches are providing relief for your wallet when it comes to the grocery bill through their association with Angel Food Ministries.

Angel Food Ministries is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food relief to people across the nation. Founded in 1994 in Georgia, the ministry's first food distribution fed 34 families. Today, they feed over 500,000 families a month in 35 states.

Locally, one of the newest churches to join the ranks is Freedom Family Fellowship in Four Oaks.

A small church made up of around 30 members, FFF started out meeting in Pastor Scott Johnson's living room. Since acquiring a church building in January of this year, Johnson and the church members have been looking for ministries that would not only allow them to interact with the community but get their church name out there as well. Angel Food Ministries is providing the answer.

"We're new to the Four Oaks community, and we were trying to think of ways to interact with the community and actually help people," said Johnson. "The economy is down, and no matter what your situation is, you could certainly use discounted food. This program is not income related, and in a difficult time, it's a nice resource to have. We're hoping that as we come into contact with people with an economic need, we'll also come across folks looking for a church and a family."

The church has also come across a mentor of sorts in New Life Church in Garner. Active in Angel Food Ministries since December of 2008, New Life is helping the members of FFF learn the ropes when it comes to the ins and outs of the entire process. And here's how it works: Angel Food offers a signature box of food for $30, which contains enough food to feed a family of four for about a week, or an elderly person for nearly a month. The signature box includes packaged, fresh and frozen staple items such as meat, vegetables, eggs, milk and rice. There are also specialty boxes that can be added on to an order, including the fresh fruit and veggie box, meat grill box, senior/convenience box and allergen free box. There are also plans in the works for a diabetic box.

"Angel Food is such a great outreach for the community," said Gail Pleasant, coordinator of Angel Food Ministries at New Life. "People travel thousands of miles to help people when we could be helping people right at our back door. We've reached a lot of people who are struggling with the economy right now. You can see the need that's in our community, especially after being involved in this ministry, and it's a wonderful thing to be able to help people with their food bill."

Pleasant said they've priced the items that come in the signature box with what's available in the grocery store, and for the $30 signature price, you're getting around $45 - 70 worth of food (depending on store and brand name).

Orders can be placed by visiting Angel Food's web site, the individual church's web site or stopping by the church itself (see sidebar for hours). Customers then pick up their orders one Saturday a month at the designated church of their choice. The most recent pick-up was Aug. 22. Angel Food's delivery truck is loaded in Georgia and ends up at Wake Chapel Christian Church in Fuquay-Varina. New Life is one of several local churches that picks up their orders from Wake Chapel to take back to their own sites for pick up.

Pleasant said several local fast food restaurants have been generous in donating french fry boxes to package up the food, including McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s at 40/42 and McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A at White Oak.

According to Pleasant, they need all the boxes they can get - the most orders they've received in a month was 450. Since then, their orders have leveled out to around 200 - 210 orders per month. If customers don't pick up their orders after the pick-up day has passed and they have been contacted and are still a no-show, many churches will donate the abandoned boxes to local charities. For example, New Life takes their extra boxes to Garner Area Ministries to distribute as they see fit.

And Pleasant is hoping that with churches like FFF joining the ministry, local residents will have easier access to place and pick up their orders.

"I'm excited that Freedom Family Fellowship is coming on board," she said. "They'll help us reach a much wider area. If more people knew about this ministry, they could take advantage of it and use the extra money they'll be saving on groceries to go to something else they need."

As for Johnson, he plans on not only running the ministry at his church, but participating in it as well.

"We really wanted to offer people something that is practical - we're a very small church, and we go through the same things everyone else does," he said. "We as a church will also take advantage of something we believe in and something the community can get behind."

For more information about Angel Food Ministries or to place an order, visit angelfoodministries.com.

How to contact these local churches

Freedom Family Fellowship

2595 Lassiter Rd., Four Oaks

Place your order at freedomfamilyfellowship.com (credit or debit only).

Or, stop by the church on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (cash or money order only).

Pick up is on one Saturday a month from 10 a.m. to noon.

New Life Church (formerly New Life Wesleyan Church)

2967 Benson Rd., Garner

Place your order through the Angel Food web site, or stop by the church on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon - 2 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. New Life accepts cash, money order and food stamps.

Pick up is on one Saturday a month from 10 a.m. to noon - the church welcomes volunteers to help with set up and distribution. Just come to the church at 8 a.m. on distribution day.

For more information, call (919) 662-8062.

Wake Chapel Christian Church

905 Wake Chapel Rd.

Fuquay-Varina

(919) 552-4147

wakechapelchurch.org