The Picayune Veterinary Clinic not only serves the furry residents of Pearl River County, but also the needs of hungry people in the area.
On Thursday, director of Poplarville’s Crossroads Food Pantry Sharon Bonnecarrere, received enough donated food from the clinic to provide a meal for about 20 needy families in the area.
Picayune Veterinary Clinic office manager Candice Burge said Bonnecarrere approached her about a month ago about collecting food.
“Mrs. Sharon asked me if our office would like to gather donations for her food pantry,” Burge said. “We said yes and even offered an incentive to our clients.”
Clients who brought their pets in for their annual visits received a percentage off their exam if they brought in five non-perishable food items, Burge said.
“Our clients loved the food drive,” Burge said. “They thought it was a great way to help out the community. Most people gave without desiring anything in return.”
Altogether, about 100 cans were collected, which Bonnecarrere said was more than enough to pack about 20 boxes of food for the pantry’s clients.
This is the second year the veterinary clinic hosted a food drive.
“We strive to help every year and give back to our community,” Burge said. “In the coming years, we would love for our office to become a location where people can donate food.”
Bonnecarrere said the food pantry couldn’t do what they do without the generosity of the people of Picayune.
“Everything helps this time of year,” Bonnecarrere said. “This community makes us strong and it’s all done for the glory of God.”
Crossroads Distribution Center, Inc. was founded in 2006 by Buddy and Jean Giddens and is a non-profit faith based organization.
The food pantry serves clients in the Mississippi River, Ford’s Creek, White Sand and Henleyfield communities, Bonnecarre said in a previous Item story. The pantry relies solely on donations and volunteers. Because Crossroads is not government funded, the only criteria is that beneficiaries reside in the service area, Bonnecarrere said.
The food pantry is open the second Wednesday of each month and provides groceries to those in need. Grocery items include meats, canned goods, bread and dry goods.
All donations are tax-deductible and anyone wishing to donate to the food pantry may contact Bonnecarrere at 601-799-3045.
Crossroads Food Pantry is located at 176 Old Crossroads West, Poplarville.
Picayune’s Veterinary Clinic is located at 257 Hwy. 43 S. They are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.