MISSION
To serve with dignity and humility the nutritional needs of those seeking assistance.
VISION
To support individuals and families as they build paths out of poverty.
PURPOSE
To seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Leadership
We Embrace the Spirit, Walk in its Light
Patricia L. Callahan
St. Luke’s in the Meadow Episcopal, President of the Board, Acting Executive Director
The Rev. Karen A. Calafat
Vicar, St. Luke’s in the Meadow
Diane M. Snow
St. Stephen’s Episcopal, Secretary of the Board
Andrea Erwin
All Souls Episcopal
Mary (Liza) E. Goodner
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal
Jennifer S. Masterson
Trinity Episcopal
The Rev. Deacon Randy Nelson
All Souls Episcopal
The Rev. Deacon Ayo Omoniyi
Deacon, St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Brian A. Perry
St. Stephen’s Episcopal
Rick Wells
Trinity Episcopal
Why We Exist
Healthy Food + Happy Souls
At 4Saints & Friends, our focus is providing nutritious food and supportive services to make our community healthy and whole.
We engage with our clients and community in the following ways:
Addressing food deserts
4Saints & Friends strives to give our clients grocery choices and access to items not typically found at food pantries, such as mixed produce boxes and protein options.
Being a community and spiritual hub
4Saints & Friends serves as more than just a food distribution center. We serve as a space where volunteers, neighbors, and community members come together to strengthen their bonds in terms of physical assistance and spiritual support.
Partnering with others to provide health and wellness support
By collaborating with local public health and social service agencies, we aim to mitigate health issues related to poor nutrition and its associated chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Addressing the generational impact
We serve individuals and families, including many with young children. We are highly conscious of the long-lasting, intergenerational health problems of limited access to nutritious food. By providing healthier food options, we aim to break the cycle of health disparities and improve the well-being of current and future generations.
Building unity beyond divisions
Our volunteers emphasize community unity beyond political and social divisions. We create a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to support one another, demonstrating the power of compassion and shared humanity. Several of our current and former clients also serve as volunteers themselves.
Hunger in Our Area
Hungry Bellies, Hungry Souls
4Saints & Friends Episcopal Food Pantry serves communities across the Fort Worth/Tarrant County region. Many families across Fort Worth struggle to make ends meet. We’re here to help ensure having enough food is one less worry.
1 in 10 of our neighbors is living with food insecurity.
As a premier partner of the Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB), 4Saints & Friends is the largest food pantry in the E. Lancaster Ave. area, serving 76103 and surrounding zip codes. According to the 2021 Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap annual hunger study, more than 251,130 individuals in TAFB’s service area experience food insecurity.
4Saints & Friends Episcopal Food Pantry is located in a zip code identified by the Healthy Texas 2022 Food Insecurity Index, a measure of food access correlated with economic and household hardship, as one of the highest for food insecurity.
- According to Healthy Texas.org, 30.8% of the children in 76103 and 40% in 76105 live below the poverty rate compared to 16.4% in Tarrant County.
- In Tarrant County, 64.7% of households with children receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
History
Our Story, A Common Place for God’s Love
In 2017, 4Saints & Friends Episcopal Food Pantry launched as a mission of four Episcopal churches to serve in an impoverished area of Fort Worth. These Episcopal congregations, joined by a fifth parish in 2021, never imagined how this mission would empower them. They realize they are “the church” as they move beyond the walls of their parishes to serve others.
In July 2022, the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church approved the reunification of the Episcopal Church in North Texas with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. The pantry's five supporting parishes have embraced this opportunity to pursue a vision to create a center of help and hope.
Despite two relocations, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other challenges, 4Saints & Friends has continued growing to meet the need. Our congregations exemplify what can happen through discipleship. We are the largest pantry in our diverse, historic, and high-poverty zip code.
Passionate hearts, innovation, and an agile budget drive us. As a Premier Pantry Partner of Tarrant Area Food Bank, we distribute food each Friday, totaling 26,000 pounds monthly. In the first six months of 2023, we increased our distribution by 88% to more than 1,842 families with approximately 30 volunteers weekly.
4Saints & Friends is more than a food pantry. We provide a place where our entire community can lean into prayer, extend grace, and grow into a deeper relationship with Christ. As we establish trust with our clients, we offer real-time evidence of what it means to love God and one another. We call each other by name, listen to stories, and receive prayer requests. Leadership from each of the five congregations share stories of how this single ministry has impacted their life as a church family.
As our ministry grows, we discover we have become a home for all people regardless of faith. We are a space where volunteers and clients welcome one another with open arms and smiles.
