In the Bible, loaves and fishes fed the multitudes but, at Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church's Food Bank, it's loaves, fresh produce, deli items and meat.

But it's the same formula: Doing the Lord's work, volunteers say.

"We have 24 church members who volunteer each week, 17 drivers and seven processing people, who help us serve four agencies helping those in need," said Rick Schnure, of Kirkwood, who, for the last three years, has been coordinator of the food bank.

Eight times each week, drivers pick up fresh produce, deli items and bread from three Schnucks Markets — Ladue Crossing, 8867 Ladue Road; Kirkwood, 10233 Manchester Road; and Frontenac, 10275 Clayton Road — as well as a weekly pickup of fresh beef, pork and chicken from PM BBQ in Chesterfield.

Canned goods come in the first Sunday of every month from the Ladue Chapel congregation through their "communion can Sunday" donations. They also conduct an annual drive that brings in more than 200 turkeys and hams.

"We total about 220,000 pounds of donations a year," Schnure said.

The food comes to the "White House" service building in a corner of Ladue Chapel's parking lot, at 9450 Clayton Road, where it's sorted and repackaged for pick up by four nonprofit agencies.

Those include Chapel for the Exceptional, Isaiah 58 Ministries, Harris House and Hosea House.

Stephen Acton, with Harris House, was at the food bank on a recent Friday for a pickup.

"We feed about 90 people at our alcohol/drug rehab center in south St. Louis," he said.

"Their donations cut down our costs to feed people and let us bring more people into our program. Without the food bank, especially in these times, it would be hard for us to get by. And, what we can't use, we give to the Grace Hill agency," he said.

Raymond Sutton, also picking up that day, is hunger program director for Isaiah 58 Ministries in south St. Louis, which provides services like food distribution to more than 600 families a month.

"They help us a whole lot, especially with the economy so down," he said.

The pantry, more than 27 years old, was started through a special gift from the Schnucks family, said Schnure, 59, who is semi-retired from selling accounting software.

In the last two years, demand for its services has doubled, though contributions from donors have increased 25 percent, he said.

Retiree Anne Trower, of Des Peres, has been volunteering at the food bank for 16 years.

"There was a big need I could see," Trower said.

"Many of those getting the food are poor and sick. I'm doing something good for humanity, for the Lord. This is a blessing for me," she said.

Schnure grew up in the church and became acquainted with Jim Hofferth, who'd been running the pantry for 10 years before Schnure took over.

Schnure originally was a volunteer driver starting four and a half years ago.

"But Jim told me I had a passion for this," Schnure said. "He was considering retiring and asked me if I wanted to run the pantry. I said yes, and, two weeks later, Jim passed away. It was like God tapped me on the shoulder and said this is what I should be doing."

The food bank is always looking for donations of food, as well as items like clothing, furniture and computers that it distributes periodically.

Call Schnure at (314) 822-8530.

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