ZACHARY — On Tuesday mornings, a steady line of cars snakes down Rollins Road behind Zachary High School. Their destination: the Zachary Food Pantry, which has been serving the community since its opening on June 10, 2013.

Signs with red arrows direct drivers to the front lot, where a team of smiling volunteers, some in bright yellow vests, are ready to help. Ron Usie, a five-year veteran volunteer, is one of them.

"I enjoy this, serving where I can," Usie said.

With a clipboard in hand, he walks up to each car, placing a number on the windshield and asking a few questions, including the number of family members. This information is then relayed to volunteers in the warehouse, who fill shopping carts with bags of non-perishable items like peanut butter, beans, and rice, along with meat and fresh produce when available.

Mark Antoine, who became the pantry's executive director four years ago, says they serve between 200 and 300 families in Zachary each month.

"About a third of that is children, and the rest are between 18 and 65 years old," Antoine said.

The food is meant to last families for several weeks.

Community volunteers are crucial to the pantry's operation. Some arrive on Mondays to unload trucks from the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, which provides the majority of the pantry's food. These volunteers bag, sort, and stack items on shelves and in freezers. Others work in the front office, answering phones and handling the paperwork for each family, while some assist with placing the food items directly into vehicles.

The community also plays a significant role in keeping the shelves stocked. Zachary Food Pantry donation barrels are placed in churches, businesses, and schools throughout the city.

Antoine says residents are "faithful" in making sure the barrels are filled.

Additionally, staff at Lane Regional Medical Center host food drives for the pantry three or four times a year. Nurse Courtney Day said they see patients daily who are dealing with food insecurity.

"Part of keeping people healthy is ensuring they are receiving proper meals," Day said.

Unfortunately, Antoine says the amount of food they can distribute has decreased, while the number of people needing help continues to rise. Cuts to a federal program that supports local food pantries have also contributed to the challenge.

Still, Antoine says, "every Tuesday morning from 9 until 11," the pantry will be there. They are committed to ensuring their neighbors in this "tight-knit community have what they need."

For more information on food assistance, donations, or volunteering, you can call 225-247-8859.