Ten years after its founding, the Cornerstone Food Bank continues to serve the down and out in the community from its location in the heart of Lennoxville.
“God tells us quite often in the bible to look after the poor and the needy,” said Valerie Fortin, who has been coordinating the operations of the food bank since it reopened last year, “We’re here to show God’s love.”
Started by Sue and Perry Comeau in Huntingville in 2006, the food bank moved with the Hope Community Church into Lennoxville in 2011 but briefly shut down when its founders stepped back their involvement and no one offered to take on the responsibility.
Fortin said that at that point in time she had never worked with Cornerstone before and had no particular interest in the food bank until she felt a calling in the middle of the night.
“It was like God was saying, ok you’re going to take over the food bank,” the coordinator said, explaining that once she tried it, she fell in love with the work.
Right now Fortin said that cornerstone serves about 36 people on a weekly basis, opening its doors on Saturday mornings to a dependable lineup
“We open the doors around 8:30am but they lining up starting around 7:30am,” the coordinator said, saying that she and the team of five volunteers welcome people in for coffee, chat, and lead them around to collect the food items that they need. Each visitor is given a number based on when they arrived and accompanied by a volunteer to help fill their basket.
Read the full story in Wednesday’s Record.
