Sunday mornings, members of Montevallo First Baptist Church flood through the doors carrying not just their Bibles, but also bags of canned items, tubes of toothpaste and boxes of mac and cheese for their neighbor in need.

The church plans to collect food until the end of January. They will then divide what’s donated among the Shelby Baptist Association and the Shelby Emergency Assistance.

“We’re in constant need of donations,” said Hettie Wagner, director of social services for SEA. “We have especially seen the need with the amount of food we’re giving out doubling since this time last year.”

Church member Kay Johnson has helped to organize the collection of food at Montevallo FBC. She said many local food banks have to rely on churches to help stock their shelves.

“It has gotten critical in that so many people are without jobs and it has caused so many more people to rely on agencies like these,” Johnson said.

Wagner agreed. She said SEA has recently seen a lot of new people coming for help — people who have never been through such tough times.

Montevallo FBC plans to collect food for the two organizations through the end of the month. This coming Sunday, Jan. 18, the church is looking for peanut butter, jelly, mac and cheese, dried beans and soup.

On Jan. 25 the church plans to collect mayonnaise, self rising flour, cleaning products and personal items such as soap, shampoo, tooth brushes and tooth paste.

Johnson said people have to realize that the need is out there. All they have to do is buy an extra can or two of food and take it to an agency that can get it to those in need, Johnson said.

The church is also collecting monetary donations for the World Hunger organization by sending home piggy banks shaped like bread loaves for members to collect change in.

The money will then help provide food to those in need overseas as well. For more information about the church or its efforts, visit www.montevallofbc.com.