St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Food Pantries

Free food, any hour, any day, for anyone who needs it. Take what you need. No forms, no questions, no judgment.

Daily bread, around the clock

When a crowd of thousands followed Jesus into the countryside and evening came, his answer was not a lecture. It was supper: he took five loaves and two fish, gave thanks, and fed them all.1 He also taught us to pray for daily bread,2 because he knew hunger is not a once-in-a-lifetime emergency. It is a Tuesday problem, a this-week problem, a between-paychecks problem.

So our answer sits at the sidewalk, open day and night: free food boxes, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to anyone who needs them. Take what you need. There are no forms, no questions, and no judgment from anybody here.

How it works

There are four boxes. The one at our own door in Montevallo belongs to St. Andrew’s. The other three serve Bibb County neighbors around Centreville and Brent: at Centreville City Hall, on Aldine Street, and at Brent City Hall. Those were placed by generous neighbors in those communities, and we love them for it. Walk up to any of the four, open the box, and take what helps. That is the whole process. Nobody watches, nobody asks, and you do not need to be a member of anything.

The boxes stay stocked because ordinary people keep filling them: the neighbors who keep each box, volunteers from St. Andrew’s who help stock all four as supplies allow, and folks who simply drop off a few cans when they shop. It is neighbors feeding neighbors, which is about as close to the loaves and fishes as we get.

If a box is empty and the need is urgent

Volunteers refill the boxes steadily, but a box can run empty in a hard week. If you find one bare and your need cannot wait, please do not give up. Help is close:

Help keep the boxes full

If your pantry has surplus, the boxes will gladly take it. Leave non-perishable, non-expired food in any box, any time: canned goods (pull tops are best), peanut butter, pasta, rice, dried beans, shelf-stable milk. There is more on giving food, and every other way to give, on our Give page.

Hunger is real in our communities, and a box of food can carry a family through a hard week. Thank you for being part of the answer.

  1. Matthew 14:13 to 21, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. ↩︎

  2. Matthew 6:11, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition: “Give us this day our daily bread.” ↩︎

Questions & Answers

Who can take food from the boxes?
Anyone. There are no forms, no eligibility requirements, no questions, and no judgment. If you need food, it is there for you.
When are the food pantries open?
Always. All of the boxes are outdoors and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Come whenever you need to, day or night.
Where are the food boxes located?
There are four: at the sidewalk in front of St. Andrew’s at 925 Plowman Street in Montevallo, and three community boxes in Bibb County, in Centreville (including East Town on Aldine Street) and Brent. See the map on this page for directions to each.
What if a box is empty and I need food urgently?
Please reach for help. In Shelby County, contact Shelby Emergency Assistance at shelbyemergencyassistance.org. In Bibb County, contact HOPE in Bibb County. And you can always reach out to the Rev. Quincy Hall at (205) 665-1667. You will not be turned away.
Who keeps the boxes stocked?
The box at St. Andrew’s is our own. The three in Bibb County, at Centreville City Hall, on Aldine Street, and at Brent City Hall, were placed by generous neighbors in those communities, and volunteers from St. Andrew’s help keep them stocked as supplies allow. Nobody is paid and nothing is required. It is neighbors feeding neighbors.
Can I donate food?
Yes, please. Leave non-perishable, non-expired food in any of the boxes at any time. Canned goods with pull tops, peanut butter, pasta, rice, and shelf-stable milk are always welcome.

Where to find the boxes

Every box is open to anyone, any hour, every day. The map shows them all; tap an address below for turn-by-turn directions.

The St. Andrew’s box (1) sits at our own door in Montevallo, in Shelby County. The others serve our neighbors in Bibb County, around Centreville and Brent.

  1. St. Andrew's sidewalk food box

    925 Plowman Street, Montevallo, AL 35115

    Out front at the sidewalk, any day, any time.

    Get directions ›

  2. Centreville Food Pantry

    Centreville, AL 35042

    A community food box at Centreville City Hall, kept by generous Bibb County neighbors.

    Get directions ›

  3. East Town Food Pantry

    Aldine Street, Centreville, AL 35042

    A community food box on Aldine Street, kept by generous neighbors.

    Get directions ›

  4. Brent Food Pantry

    Brent, AL 35034

    A community food box at Brent City Hall, kept by generous Bibb County neighbors.

    Get directions ›