11/01/2025
I apologize in advance for the long post. With the delay in SNAP benefits for November, I've been flooded with questions about Helping Hand Food Pantry, both how to help and how it works. Hopefully, this will answer most questions. Please feel free to share.
HOW IT WORKS
Helping Hand Food Pantry is located at 811 Madison Ave in Spencer. We are in the left hand lower hallway of the COA building, on the right.
- Open on the second Wednesday of every month from 10-3. We are not closed for lunch.
- We only serve Roane County, WV residents.
- You must meet income guidelines to qualify. If you are eligible for SNAP benefits then you qualify.
- Do not come to the COA building before 9 am. No one is allowed in the hallway before 9 am and we ask that you not line up outside prior to 9. We share this space with other agencies and try to be respectful by not blocking their access to the building.
- You are only allowed to pick up for one additional family, if that family is already in our system, and if you bring a signed and dated note designating you as a proxy. If they are not in our system, they will have to come in person for the initial sign up.
- We are fully staffed by volunteers. Please be respectful to all of the wonderful folks who give their time to help feed their neighbors.
- It is not necessary to be there as soon as the doors open. We are open from 10 am until 3 pm. Often in the afternoon there are very little wait times. You will still get the same amount of food.
- Please keep in mind that we are an emergency food pantry with limited resources. We are here to address food insecurity. If you are in need, please come! If you are not in need, please leave these resources for those who are.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
First, let me just say how much I love our community. The past several days have been filled with people contacting me to see how they can help support our work. We are so grateful for each and every donation!
Every month, our pantry receives an allocation of food from the USDA through Mountaineer Food Bank. These allocations have dropped dramatically (over 14,000 lbs in Nov '24 to around 3,000 lbs in November '25). The rest of the food that we hand out every month is purchased using donations or grants, or collected through food drives.
Food prices have increased. The number of families that we serve has increased. We served an average of 50 families per month when I took over as director in 2021, we now serve over 200 per month and are expecting a record number for November due to the halting of SNAP benefits. The number of available grants has decreased and the number of agencies applying has increased. We are relying on help from our community more than ever before.
Here's how you can help-
- Checks can be made out to Roane County Helping Hand and mailed to:
Roane County Helping Hand
811 Madison Avenue
Spencer, WV 25276
- Donations can be made via PayPal
Roane County Helping Hand Inc
Email- [email protected]
- Cash Saver will be offering food bags to be purchased for donation. Check their store for more details.
- Hardmans of Spencer is hosting a canned food drive and is offering a 10% off coupon for donations of 6 or more cans.
- Poca Valley Bank and Hays and Company are hosting a canned food drive. Check at their branch locations for more details.
- Most importantly, check on your neighbors. Every single one of us knows someone who is in need; take them a hot meal, drop off some non-perishable food on their porch. Your small act of kindness could make a huge difference.
Additional resources:
Roane County Resources
ROANE COUNTY FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
Programs: food pantry
Phone Number: (304) 519-2144
Social Media: facebook.com/MountaineerFood
Email: [email protected]
Address: 201 Main St, Spencer, WV 25276
Eligibility: Prioritizes families with children in the home; if no child, contact
directly to discuss pantry options
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:30pm
ROANE COUNTY
COMMUNITY RESOURCES, INC.
Programs: pantry services and senior food boxes
Phone Number: (304) 485-5525
Address: 811 Madison Avenue, Spencer, WV 25276
Website: cricap.org
Social Media:https://www.facebook.com/wvcri
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, appointment required
Eligibility: recipients must meet income guidelines
Process: contact CRI to arrange services
HELPING HAND FOOD PANTRY
Programs: Emergency food pantry for Roane County
Phone Number: (304) 741-2523
Address: 811 Madison Avenue, Spencer, WV 25276 - bottom floor, left wing
Website: facebook.com/roanecountyhelpinghand
Hours: Second Wednesday, 10:00am-3:00pm
Eligibility: some income guidelines apply, contact for more information
MEMORIAL UMC SCHOOL BACKPACK FEEDING PROGRAM
Programs: weekend supplemental food bags for school-age children enrolled in
Roane county
Phone Number: 304-927-6070
Address: Roane County FRN, 509 Market St, Spencer, WV 25276
Website: roanefrn.org
Social Media: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086622713017
Email: [email protected]
Eligibility: school-based program; contact the Roane County Family Resource
Network (FRN) to sign up your school-age children
MOUNTAINEER FOOD BANK - MOBILE FOOD PANTRY - ROANE COUNTY
Programs: fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and baked goods to people in
need at set locations on scheduled dates
Phone Number: (304) 364-5518
Social Media: facebook.com/MountaineerFood
Address: Roane County High School, 1 Raider Way, Spencer, WV 25276
Schedule: Last box for 2025: 10:00am-11:30am on Saturday, November 15th
Process: Drive up for food box distribution
ROANE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Programs: DHHR services; can assist in enrolling in income-based food
assistance programs; WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) provides breastfeeding support, health education, and more for women, infants, and
children up to 5 years old; food provided through WIC includes milk, cereal,
cheese, peanut butter, eggs, juice, dried or canned beans, infant formula and
medical foods, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, baby foods, and yogurt
Phone Number: (304) 927-0956
Address: 677 Ripley Road #3, Spencer, WV 25276
Eligibility: Prioritizes families with children in the home; if no child, contact
directly to discuss pantry options
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (opens at 8:30 on Wednesdays only)
THE TABLE DINNER AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Programs: faith-based ministry and meal service; all are welcome to partake in a
meal and biblical discussion
Phone Number: 304-927-1421
Address: 338 Main St, Spencer, WV 25276
Eligibility: All are welcome; must participate in Bible discussions
Hours: Mondays, 5:30pm
BLESSING BOXES
• Gandeeville Store
• Garden Fresh Market
• Roane County Library
• Spencer Nazarene Church
• St. Johns Methodist Church
• Walton across from Poca Valley Bank
We believe in a West Virginia where no one goes to bed hungry today…or tomorrow.
