In 1994, a Georgia preacher began a small food ministry off his back porch.

Today -- it's grown into a huge outreach serving hundreds of thousands of families each month.

That includes four churches in our area.

Katrina Williamson heads up the Angel Food Ministry program at Allen Memorial United Methodist Church.

"Jesus said, 'feed my sheep' and that's what we're called to do, no matter what," said Katrina Williamson.

Katrina Spends countless hours each month ordering, packing and distributing food to all kinds of folks, rich -- poor -- and everyone in between.

"Anybody can participate, there's no economic requirements at all," said Williamson.

Here's how it works.

Each regular box of food is designed to provide the nutritional bulk for a family of four for a week -- they cost thirty dollars.

A customer herself -- Katrina says if she bought the same box at a grocery store -- she'd pay sixty-five to seventy dollars.

Katrina says the national Angel Food Ministries buys huge amounts of bulk food at wholesale prices -- and no seconds or day old donations here -- they only offer high quality food... 500-thousand families a month are taking part across 38 states.

Families like Angela Vandervort's - she's bought Angel food for two years.

"We normally save about one hundred to sometimes up to a hundred fifty dollars," said Vandervort.

And when your average weekly bill is three hundred dollars -- that's quite a savings.

It helps with time too.

"It's cut down on the really big shopping trips where we have to have two shopping carts," said Vandervort.

It's been a tough stretch for the Vandervort family -- last year their house burned down -- and Angela's husband briefly lost his job. Angel food has helped fill the gaps. With it she's been able to provide a little lagniappe for her six children.

"Christmas presents, extra shoes, or have a little fun," said Vandervort.

Angela orders eight boxes a month -- and says the savings and community they've met here -- have been major blessings.

Such gratitude is Katrina and her band of 30 volunteers reward -- that and knowing they are indeed feeding the flock.

"It's not me. It's everybody, and as a group, as a team here, we can serve many," said Vandervort.

For more on the local Angel Food Ministry you can call 968-6213.Angel Food Ministries