From the exterior, it looks like a small cold metal building, but on the inside the mission is a big one from the heart.

"It got started 25 years ago by a woman named Linda Smith. She saw a need in the community and gathered churches together to organize a food pantry that serves Olive Branch and the whole Desoto County," says volunteer Kim Ball.

Volunteers from Getwell Road United Methodist Church were busy packing groceries for the needy on Tuesday. Anyone can volunteer. Help and donations are always needed.

"Absolutely, they can get friends of family or a church group together and we will add them to our list of volunteers that rotates every eight to ten weeks. They can donate food. They can have a food drive. They can donate paper goods and things like that," says Ball.

Families are screened by volunteers to decide who qualifies. A week's worth of groceries is packed up and given to each qualifying family once a month.

Volunteer Danny Smith remarks, "What breaks my heart is to see people that do not have what I have and they are struggling and it breaks my heart to see it when the children come through."

For a quarter of a century the Olive Branch Community Food Ministry has been helping take care of the needy. The line of those in need has continued to grow over the years. The number of volunteers to take care of the needy has grown as well.

Over the past year, the number of families served by the ministry has grown by almost 50 percent. If you would like to volunteer your time or make a donation to the Olive Branch Community Food Ministry call 662-895-2913.