When United Ministries of Clarendon County needed new leadership last month, it turned to an old friend.
Manning resident Kathy Bryce began in July as director, a position in which she served previously from 2009-12, until her husband’s health began to decline.
“My husband passed in May, and they had come to me in March wanting to see if I would help out again,” Bryce said. “It’s something I’ve always had close to my heart.”
Bryce replaces outgoing director Dennis Bassen. In her role, Bryce is primarily responsible for managing the organization’s food pantry in the Daisy Gamble Mission House, located on North Church Street in Manning.
“We are always in need of donations,” Bryce said.
Formed more than a decade ago, United Ministries was founded by local churches, businesses and individuals to serve as a go-to place for those in need.
“It’s a crisis center serving people in need for particular reasons,” said UMCC volunteer Ted Johnson, one of the organization’s founding members.
The organization helps Clarendon County residents with medicine, electricity, water, heating fuel and food.
“We see families where the primary caregiver has lost a job, and we see a lot of families headed by grandparents,” Johnson said. “Our biggest focus tends to be on providing emergency food.”
Cash donations to the organization allowed it to buy bulk quantities of U.S. Department of Agriculture approved commodity foods like canned meats and vegetables, cereals, peanut butter and pasta.
While the organization was founded primarily by churches, United Ministries still needs more churches to participate.
“About 90 percent of the county’s churches are not supporting this ministry,” Johnson said. “We would love to see churches make United Ministries a part of their regular budget.”
United Ministries is open from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays. Recipients may only receive help after an intake interview.
