WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Supporting a child’s education also means caring for the family behind that child. Through a new partnership with Harvest Food Bank of Palm Beach County, Issues Magazine Ministries is bringing weekly food assistance to students and families at Ephesus Adventist Academy.
The program launched with its first delivery on October 27, with weekly distributions scheduled to continue through May. The partnership brings community volunteers, school leaders, and educators together around a shared purpose: meeting practical needs while supporting the mission of Christian education.
From an Idea to Action
The initiative began when Issues Magazine Ministries contacted Principal Everton Williams about providing weekly food distributions for the remainder of the school year.
Williams enthusiastically welcomed the proposal. After securing approval from the school board, he gave Issues Magazine Ministries and Harvest Food Bank the go-ahead to begin.
The result is an ongoing effort that connects donated food with the students and families who can benefit from it.
A Weekly Effort Built Around Student Choice
Each week, representatives from Issues Magazine Ministries work alongside the academy’s faculty and staff to organize the food distribution.
Because the available items change from week to week, a menu is prepared and shared with each classroom. Students select the items they would like to receive, giving families a measure of choice in the assistance they take home.
Once those selections are collected, volunteers and school staff package the requested items into individual bags. The bags are then delivered to classrooms for students to take home to their families.
The school also puts any remaining food to use in its lunch program, extending the benefit of each delivery.
A Blessing Beyond the Classroom
Principal Williams expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing the food distribution program as a tremendous blessing to the school and the families it serves.
The weekly effort also illustrates how community partnerships can strengthen a school’s ability to care for its students. Harvest Food Bank supplies food, Issues Magazine Ministries helps coordinate and carry out the distributions, and school personnel contribute their time and knowledge of the students they serve.
Together, these contributions turn a shared commitment into a practical, consistent source of support.
Strengthening the Mission of Adventist Education
Christian education seeks to nurture the whole person. Helping students and families meet everyday needs is a meaningful extension of that mission.
At Ephesus Adventist Academy, this partnership gives that commitment a tangible expression: food selected by students, packed with care, and sent home to their families each week.
For Issues Magazine Ministries, the initiative is an opportunity to put faith into action through service. It is also an invitation to recognize what becomes possible when ministries, community organizations, and schools work together.
With distributions scheduled through May, the partnership will continue bringing food, hope, and community support to the Ephesus school family—one delivery at a time.