About BASICS
Our primary mission is to serve our Lord Jesus Christ by reaching out and helping His children and adults in need. The ultimate objective of this ministry is to lead the lost to Christ. We will endeavor through the leading of the Holy Spirit to provide food, clothing, and spiritual help to anyone who comes through our doors or who calls on us for help.
We will operate with the utmost integrity, sincerity, and boldness to proclaim the name of Jesus and to reach out to the lost, the hungry, the homeless, and the outcast. We will give our resources, our time, and our talents to serve God and minister to the needy, without expecting anything in return except the approval of our Lord and Savior. Seeking no honor or glory for ourselves, we give all the glory and honor to our Lord Jesus Christ.
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." -Galatians 5:13
How It Works:
Food insecurity (the fear of not having enough to eat) affects one-third of the people in Rutherford County. These individuals and families are given a chance each Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to come by and get free food (and other necessities) including items for meals throughout the week such as bread, meat, produce, and more.
BASICS is provided a portion of this food supply by Food Lion. The largest portion of food, however, is bought by BASICS either through donations or the income from the Thrift Store.
BASICS operates a thrift store next door to the food pantry, which sells clothing, furniture, household appliances, and related goods, as well as tools and decorative items, all at very low prices. The proceeds from the Thrift Store go to support all ministry activities.
Our Story
Basics Christian Ministries, Inc. was formed on April 1, 2015, by a team of volunteers to help feed and minister to hungry children, the handicapped, the elderly, and others in need in Rutherford County, NC. This is an area that has been devastated by the demise of the textile industry and is plagued by drugs and other addictions. There is tremendous poverty, very few jobs, and a pervading sense of hopelessness. By the Grace of God, BASICS serves as an all-volunteer ministry to provide food, clothing, and Christian counseling in a poverty-stricken part of our state. We moved to our new location at 141 North Main Street, Henrietta, NC on June 1, 2017. We provide over six tons of food per month to needy families and are making great strides in serving the local community. Many of our clients are children and the elderly. That number grows week by week. The need is tremendous, and the costs are rising. We are supported solely by donations. We very much need the support of caring people and companies to help cover the mounting costs. Over 90% of our donations and Thrift Store sales go to buy food and to cover our building’s payment, maintenance, utilities, and the costs of our cargo van.
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“BASICS” is an acronym for Brothers And Sisters In Christ Serving.
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We are now a diversified social service agency, providing food, clothing, hygiene items, blankets, heaters, household items, and other needs to all our clients.
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We became a 501(c)3 non-profit and began serving those in need in June 2015.
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In October 2016 we became a Second Harvest Food Bank agency, which allows us to purchase food at the cost of transportation and storage.
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We moved from our original location in Cliffside to our present location in Henrietta in June of 2017. We purchased our building in Henrietta in April 2019 with the help of owner financing.
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Our focus area is Rutherford County, including the Caroleen, Henrietta, Cliffside, Ellenboro, Mooresboro, and Harris communities, distributing food, personal hygiene items, clothing, as well as heaters, coats, and blankets (in cold weather) each week.
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We distribute an average of about 12,000 to 14,000 pounds of food each month, which we estimate creates over 20,000 meals per month.
Key Facts
Our Goals
Serve our Lord Jesus Christ through ministry
Provide food, clothing, and spiritual help to anyone
Reach out to the lost, hungry, homeless, and outcast