By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Carter County woman Pam Wilburn will talk about herself, eventually, after she tells you all the wonderful things everyone else in the community and surrounding counties is doing to help one another. She is more focused on the needs of her neighbors – everyone’s neighbors – than she is about any kind of personal recognition. She considers everything a blessing, whether that is helping others or the wonderful organizations she receives donations from to do that work.
Wilburn is the director of Daily Bread Food Pantry in Carter County, a nonprofit organization that regularly provides supplemental food and other necessary things to seven hundred and fifty families each month, with an average of three members to each family. It was for that work, something she considers a ministry to the community, that Wilburn was recently nominated for and awarded the recognition of Hometown Hero from WSAZ. Reporter Victoria Ware presented the award to Wilburn, and she said coverage is set to be aired on Friday, April 3.
She was understandably excited when she found out about the award, and in typical fashion she attempted to sidestep the spotlight.
“It should have been a team award,” Wilburn said. “Not a one-person award. It should have been for the whole volunteer team.”
Wilburn said she feels flattered and humbled by the recognition, and hopes it will help shed light on the needs of local residents and residents in communities everywhere.
“We have 11 different churches that volunteer with our group,” Wilburn said.
Those churches, she said, are multidenominational but come together for the work of helping those in need.
“Everyone is so good about doing what needs to be done,” she said of the network of volunteers. “They all work together really well to make everything go well.”
Wilburn said the situation is unique because churches typically have their own missions that they dedicate time to independently. But for Daily Bread Food Pantry they have all come together.
The organization operates based on donations and grants, Wilburn said. Recently they were awarded a grant through St Claire in Morehead that will yield $20,000 per year over a several year period. The grant is a huge benefit, she said, but donations are always appreciated because the organization spends around $1,2000 each month to supplement the food and other items they receive to provide to the community.
A lot of the food they distribute to those in need comes from God’s Food Bank in Morehead, Wilburn said. Other items are donated by the Christian Appalachian Project from Paintsville, who bring in one or two semi-truck loads of useful items each month. All those donations and more are needed, she said, because people don’t usually realize the need that is so prevalent in the area unless they are in the position of need themselves.
“We just did an Easter basket giveaway of 150 baskets,” Wilburn said. “And I couldn’t count how many times we heard from people who got them that those were the only baskets their children would see this year.”
Wilburn said they were blessed by the Christian Appalachian Project who provided those baskets so they could in turn bless others.
“They also brought candy, toys, and all sorts of stuff like that,” she added.
Wilburn said she was completely surprised by the award, and that her friends kept it from her until the last possible minute.
“They kept it secret until they had to tell me to get me down here,” Wilburn said. “I was so shocked and speechless. But I am grateful and humbled. And I hope this helps shed light on the need our friends and neighbors have.”
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
