The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

REV C B Moss says higher food costs have made it challenging to continue providing meals to people in need through the Feeding Bain and Grants Town Project.

He also made an appeal for donations after one of his storage facilities was broken into late last year.

In an interview in late November, Rev Moss said the thieves had stolen food items and equipment from the facility.

At the time, he said, he faced a $10,000 bill to cover the cost of the damage, stolen items and food the culprits made off with.

 Rev C B Moss, of Mt Olive Baptist Church on Meadow & Augusta Streets, spoke to The Tribune yesterday saying the joint project between Mt Olive Church and the Bains Grants Advancement Association continues its food and social outreach programme despite the loss of some of their benefactors amid rising food prices has proved to be trying.

 “We provide food packages,” he said. “In fact, since the pandemic hit, we have provided well over 18,000 food packages and we also provide prepared meals like lunches and breakfast. And so, we have been doing this now at this level from the pandemic hit in March of 2020, but we are finding it a little more difficult because we purchased some things and with the cost of foodstuff going up and some of our benefactors have reached their limit it is becoming more difficult. But we are very hopeful that we will be able to maintain the level of assistance we have been giving in the last few years.”

 Even as Rev Moss is hopeful the project can continue to help those in need, he admitted the break-in was still proving to be yet another setback. He mentioned that while they were able to replace some of the merchandise that was stolen, the event was still significant.

 “We had a brand new 18 cubic inch freezer filled with meats of various types; they stole the freezer with all the contents. They stole a number of other pieces of equipment, including an over-the-top microwave and some other things and they stole some foodstuff. We had the freezer replaced by Fidelity Bank that certainly filled that gap. And so, we had for example they stole things like fans, other things, we had a refrigerator that they were clearly intending to steal, but they couldn’t get it through the door they busted in.”

 Rev Moss mentioned that while he is still waiting for an official police report into the incident, police had not connected the crime to any members of the local community.

 “We are still waiting for an official police report. They’ve given us a couple of burglary reports which state that they have not established any clear links to anybody in the community so that is where it is.”

 As the Feeding Bain and Grants Town Project continues to face these difficulties, Rev Moss asked the public to donate whatever they can, as his charity provides more than just food to those in need.

 “Right now (we need) food stuff. Various food stuff, cans or cash or whatever. We not only feed but we also have giveaways where we receive from donors anything that they wish to donate as long as it is usable. Clothing, furniture, furnishings, anything and we hold periodic giveaway days where people just come and take what they want.

 “We, of course, ask for a donation for things like equipment because we don’t want people to feel that everything is free. We do not request any donation for the foodstuffs since that’s basic but things like furniture that we giveaway we invite them to leave a donation.”

 Rev Moss added that the public could also contribute to the Feeding Bain and Grants Town Project by opening accounts out to the charity at any of the local wholesalers.

“Whatever they would like to donate, whether it’s finance or foodstuff, they can open an account for us at any of the wholesalers and we just draw down on it,” he said.