Five Loaves Food Pantry exists to serve the Hungry of the Virginia Peninsula. We accept people from all over the Peninsula and serve those that are hungry (both in body and spirit). We serve people from Gloucester to Smithfield, but over 85% of the people we serve come from Newport News. Tim Luken joined LivingStone Monastery on September 9, 2009. He became a professed member in the Company of Jes
us on April 2, 2011. He was raised to the Diaconate in the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes (ADGL) on January 19, 2015. On February 25, 2017 - Bishop Roger Ames of the ADGL ordained Br. Tim received the Abbatial Blessing by the laying on of hands from Right Reverend Ron Jackson and Right Reverend Roger Ames. Tim is rightfully called by many names; Fr. Tim, Abbot Timothy, Reverend Tim, even formally the Very Reverend Abbot General. He prefers and is simply known by the people of Five Loaves Food Pantry as Br. Tim experienced dual strokes in July 2021 – we moved into the LivingStone Monastery at 13813 Warwick Blvd, Bldg. , Newport News, VA 23602 in September 2021. On Br. Tim’s birthday, just two months after the strokes, we re-opened Five Loaves food pantry and we returned to serving the hungry five days a week! And twice on Tuesday! Our families can receive food weekly! From January to August 2022, we have served over 744 families – over 6,939 people – visiting us 12,267 times since January 1st. Since we started our database in March 2014, we have served over 8,000 families – 19,643 people! We are 100% Volunteer operated with no salaries as an overhead. LivingStone Monastery supports Br. Tim in this ministry. All the money received by Five Loaves Food Pantry is used for the purchase of food, gas to receive food or operating expenses. Because of the move we had to do some capital purchases in the way of freezers, commercial shelving and wagons for transportation and storage. In Virginia, Food Pantry's are ministries of churches or of other organizations. There is no such thing as a stand alone pantry. We are a 501(c)3 under LivingStone Monastery and registered with the SEC in Virginia as well. Five Loaves was a registered service mark of LivingStone Monastery - but we did not renew it feeling that it was now right, or good for us to stop any organization from using a biblical event such as Five Loaves and Two Fishes. We are open Monday through Friday for Perishable Food Distribution from 11am to 1pm. On Tuesday evening, from 5:30pm to 7pm. We distribute fresh fruits and vegetables, bread and pastries, shelf stable foods and meat at each distribution. The first three weeks of the month we distribute USDA The Emergency Food Assistance Program. In addition to the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank, we receive food from Trader Joe’s and Food Lion. In addition, we also partner with Panera and Wawa. In addition to food distribution, we also team up with Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Public Education and the home schooled for educational and hands on instruction regarding hunger, homelessness, and food safety. We have been recognized by the Peninsula Food Bank of Virginia with the Meal Ministry Award for the best program. Tim has also received the Unsung Hero Award for the work he has done not only with Five Loaves Food Pantry but also with numerous other pantries on the Peninsula.
