The hum of volunteers filled the air as organizers greeted neighbors in need. It was the kind of moment that reminded them why they started the ministry.
LEON VALLEY, Texas — On a quiet Sunday morning, smoke poured through the halls of Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, the longtime home of the Rivers of Hope Ministries H.O.P.E. Food Pantry. By the time firefighters cleared the scene, the building was left with heavy smoke damage — and the ministry that feeds hundreds each month suddenly had nowhere to operate.
But even in the haze of loss and uncertainty, Stacie and Terry Rivers refused to let their community go hungry.
“The whole building filled up with smoke — there’s a lot of smoke damage,” said founder Stacie Rivers, recalling the moment they were asked to clear out every shelf, can and crate from the pantry. “The deacon from the church, he asked us to go ahead and move all the food pantry items out.”
Not wanting to interfere with the work ahead to rebuild the church, the couple made a difficult choice: give away everything they had left, one last time, in the parking lot where they’d once greeted families every week.
The hum of volunteers filled the air as they unloaded boxes and greeted neighbors in need. It was the kind of moment that reminded them why they started the ministry in the first place.
“That’s why we started our ministry back five years ago — when inflation started to heat up at the time,” said Terry Rivers, co-founder of Rivers of Hope Ministries.
And as the cost of living climbed, so did the need.
“We have grown so much in the last few months,” Stacie said. “We went from serving 50 families a month to 250 families a month.”
Just last weekend, the couple distributed more than 90 turkeys to Leon Valley families preparing for the holidays — a milestone they celebrated with gratitude, unaware of what the next day would bring.
Now, as they wait for answers — investigators believe a furnace may have sparked the fire — the Rivers are holding tight to their mission and to the people who fuel it.
“Our volunteers are very enthusiastic in helping us serve here,” Terry said. “The people we serve are enthusiastic too. They have been kind and patient with us. We thank Leon Valley, we thank San Antonio, we thank all of our partners for joining us on our journey.”
With the pantry closed indefinitely, Rivers of Hope Ministries is seeking volunteers and a temporary storage facility to keep their work going. if you would like to support them. Contact them at 210-693-0124, or click here to go to their site.