Jul. 20—IUKA — Every third Friday for the past 20 years, volunteers have gathered at The Food Depot of Tishomingo County in Iuka to pack cardboard boxes full of food and household essentials.

The boxes are filled with 30 to 35 items, including everything from cereal and vegetable oil to soap and Tide PODS.

The next morning, the back door of the warehouse will be opened as vehicles pull through the parking lot and line the east side of the building, waiting for boxes to be loaded into their cars.

Maxey South, 60, oversees the operation as president of the Food Depot. The Iuka native has been involved for the entire two decades the food distribution service has been active.

Fewer than 15 boxes were assembled for the first Food Depot distribution organized by Harmony United Methodist Church in Iuka. They now produce around 250 boxes per month.

The Food Depot of Tishomingo County always needs financial help to purchase the food it gives away to people in need. Anyone who would like to support the Food Depot financially can send a check to P.O. Box 36, Iuka, MS 38852.

"We just all knew that there was a need," South said. "We didn't realize how much of a need."

At times, volunteers have put together as many as 650 to 700 boxes per month prior to a food pantry opening in Belmont.

South reckons the nonprofit has distributed enough food over the years to feed every person in Tishomingo County four or five times.

And plenty of volunteers, from all walks of life, have helped pack and distribute boxes — doctors, lawyers, judges, farmers, teachers, truck drivers, factory workers, homemakers, retirees. Their ages have ranged from 2 to 90 years old.

"Everybody that you can think of has come and helped with the Food Depot," South said.

In all its years, the Food Depot has only missed a single month of distribution. In 2020, the organization briefly paused its distribution because of the pandemic. Knowing how dire the need can be for recipients, South called volunteers and told them to be there the next month with face masks and gloves on because "these folks need groceries."

Through the years, the Food Depot has hosted fundraisers like pancake breakfasts, 5K runs and consignment sales, but most of its support comes from money donated by organizations and individuals.

"Everything is done on donated money," South said.

Although plenty of young locals already volunteer to help sort and distribute the collected goods, South said he hopes to see the next generation take the reins and oversee the Food Depot in the future.

But most importantly, he wants to see the organization's good work continue another 20 years.

"When people put their name on that sheet of paper that says that they need help, they need somebody on the other end of it to help them," South said.

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