Bay Minette, Ala. - The first annual Feed a Family Food Drive will be held on Saturday at the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, 301 McMeans Ave., Bay Minette, beginning at 8 a.m.

The event, in conjunction with the volunteer efforts of Bay Minette Wal-Mart associates, will benefit families in need in the North Baldwin area. Donations will be distributed through The Prodisee Pantry, the largest emergency food provider in Baldwin County.

Prodisee pantry has served 2,000 families in Baldwin County this year, with a large number of those being in the North Baldwin area. Baldwin County families facing financial hardships stemming from job losses, medical expenses, natural disasters, and other crisis are provided with food and information from a caring listener about other programs that may make their lives more stable.

The Pantry opened in November 2003 as an outreach of Spanish Fort United Methodist Church, and incorporated in 2005.

Following Hurricane Katrina, The Pantry sent out more than 16,000 emergency food boxes and other relief supplies valued at $20 million all along the Gulf Coast.

As a faith-based organization, the goal of Prodisee Pantry and the desire of its volunteer staff are to ease the hunger pangs of those in need in Baldwin County, according to Deann Servos, director of The Pantry. The Pantry is more than food to families in crisis. The volunteers bring comfort, encouragement and give hope to those in need.

Their services are offered each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at The Gathering Place in Prodisee Center at U.S. highways 31 and 98 in Spanish Fort.

They often receive calls for help that cannot be delayed until the regular operating hours, so a volunteer will box and arrange food delivery to a family in need. More information is available on The Pantry website at ProdiseePantry.org.

Volunteers from Bay Minette Wal-Mart Supercenter will be on hand throughout the day to accept donations of non-perishable food items and money.

“Wal-Mart Supercenter encourages our associates to volunteer their time to charitable organizations,” said Mark Smith, store manager. “We believe in reaching out to help our community and encourage our associates to look for those opportunities to make a positive difference. We look forward to helping make this food drive a huge success.

“We hope the North Baldwin Community will come by the Chamber on Saturday and give to this wonderful organization that helps so many.”

Wal-Mart provides millions of dollars in grants every year through its Volunteerism Always Pays program to honor volunteerism, whether it is a group of associates that team together to help a local cause, or an individual who consistently volunteers to help a local organization.

Through the program alone, associates around the country have volunteered more than 4 million hours to assist hundreds of charitable organizations. The program is administered through the Wal-Mart and SAM’S CLUB Foundation.

More information is available about the Wal-Mart & SAM’S CLUB Foundation at walmartfoundation.org.

For more information, contact the chamber at (251) 937-5665, Mark Smith, Bay Minette Wal-Mart at (251) 937-5558 or Deann Servos, Prodisee Pantry, (251) 626-1720.