PEAN Church Unveils Cold Storage to Boost Pantry

Story by Evan Knott

Members of Prince Emmanuel All Nations church (PEAN) in Bowie, Md., gathered in May to celebrate the dedication of a new, specialized storage area designed to enhance their community outreach efforts through an improved food pantry program.

The church, supported by a grant from Adventist Community Services at the North American Division, has renovated their building to install a cold storage room. This upgrade will significantly expand their capacity to distribute fresh and nutritious food, potentially serving more than 200 families each month.

The food pantry program, which runs in partnership with Capital Area Food Bank, will see increased efficiency with the new cold room. This enhancement, along with the church’s additional storage room for canned and dry goods, means that a substantial part of the church’s facility is now devoted to food distribution.

Jenner Becerra, pastor of PEAN, emphasized the church’s commitment to addressing food insecurity, stating, “Churches have a biblical calling to feed the hungry.” He further noted that, through this program, the church aims to foster connections within the community and offer an avenue for more people to experience the gospel.