Oklahoma Together: Non-Food Pantry Open Again In Yukon

As far as the West Metro Church of Christ knows, this is the only place in the state to offer a non-food pantry to anyone who needs supplies.

Church membership or a Yukon residence are not necessary in order to take part.

“That’s our mission: to reach out to the community and provide some things during these tough times," church elder Rich Wall said.

It’s a mission that started back in February. The church provided people with essentials like toilet paper, soap and toothpaste.

“We had a really, really big turnout,” Wall said.

The West Metro Church of Christ had planned to do it every fourth Saturday of each month, but the arrival of COVID-19 in the metro forced the church to stop its pantry.

In a way, the stoppage may have been a blessing in disguise.

“Let me be completely honest with you: we had such a big turnout the very first time,” Wall said. “I think we were all just a touch relieved that we could recoup and restock because we had to have volunteers leave and go pick up items and bring them back.”

Volunteers have been delivering supplies to people for the last three months. The pantry was open for business Saturday for the first time since February and the church was not short on supplies.

The church said the supplies it handed out today will benefit 139 people.

Some came as far as 50 miles away.

“I think that’s just because of the types of items we have because they’re just not available at a lot of your food pantries and clothing pantries,” Wall said.

The church plans to continue opening the pantry every fourth Saturday of the month.