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Riverview church helping feed hundreds of people each month through grocery ministry

By Bryan Gray
Published  May 6, 2025 8:34pm EDT
What's Right with Tampa Bay
FOX 13 News
Church helps through grocery ministry

Church helps through grocery ministry

Mark Wilson reports.

The Brief

    • A Riverview church is helping feed hundreds of people each month through a grocery ministry.
    • South Bay Church has served about 6,000 families over the last seven years.
    • The monthly initiative has grown from a small group to an army of over 40 volunteers, all working together to fight hunger.

RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A local church in Riverview is making a big impact on families in need through its grocery ministry.

Since 2017, South Bay Church has been running a grocery ministry that feeds hundreds of people each month.

What they're saying:

"We've had about 6,000 families served over the last seven years," said Sean Doherty, Executive Pastor at South Bay Church. "We've had almost 1,200 people say that they want to become believers and get prayed for, and it's a huge blessing to be able to do this every month." 

Led by Pastor Doherty, this monthly initiative has grown from a small group to an army of over 40 volunteers, all working together to fight hunger.

"We just give them usually a bag of groceries, is a whole meal," said Pastor Doherty. "We'll put chicken, rice, beans, a dessert, something like all in one bag, and we share that with them."

South Bay Church is helping feed hundreds of people each month through a grocery ministry.

On the third Saturday of every month, volunteers gather here to prepare and distribute food baskets filled with non-perishable items.  

"To be able to be there on a Saturday morning out in Wimauma  and Ruskin, giving out food to people, praying for them, it's really the hands and feet of Christ in action," Pastor Doherty explained. 

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The donations come from church members and local contributors, ensuring that families in need don’t go hungry. Each month, about 140 baskets are given away.

South Bay Church is helping feed hundreds of people each month through a grocery ministry.

Big picture view:

"There was a time in my life where I didn't have groceries. My husband and I when we were first in ministry, it was tough times," said Laura Ellefsen church volunteer. "And you know we needed food. God provided for us and I want to pass that forward."

The outreach doesn’t stop at the church doors, as volunteers divide into three or four groups to serve multiple communities, meeting people where they are. 

With cars lining up to receive the baskets, it’s clear that this ministry is filling a crucial need.

"It doesn't matter if you show up in a Cadillac or Tesla or a beat-down Toyota from 20 years ago, we just welcome everyone in," said Pastor Doherty.

South Bay Church is helping feed hundreds of people each month through a grocery ministry.

From humble beginnings to a growing movement, South Bay Church’s outreach is proving that a little kindness can go a long way.

And as long as there’s a need, these volunteers say they’ll be here to meet it.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Bryan Gray.

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