Bread of Life | Food Distribution | God’s Purpose Ministries

Bread of Life Food Distribution

God’s Purpose Ministries (God’s Purpose Unlimited) is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization that has been classified by the IRS as a Public Charity. We are both a local and international ministry. Bread of Life is our food distribution ministry which provides free food to hard-working but needy families in Los Angeles, Hollywood,and across Los Angeles County from Long Beach to Lancaster on a daily basis. We have been serving the community for over 13 years now, thanks to Trader Joe’s, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, McDonalds and other generous companies in the community.

Just to give you the overall picture, since Covid-19 our ministry has gone from 10 volunteers, receiving food from 2 Trader Joe’s locations, and distributing that food 4 times a week to about 200 families/week… today we have over 60 volunteers, receiving food from 4 Trader Joe’s Stores and 3 Amazon Fresh Stores, Whole Foods and we are distributing food 11 times a week, to help provide food to about 2,000 households/families per week. That’s about 8,000 people/month from Long Beach to Lancaster. We also deliver food to about 50 families/week on an emergency basis. These are families and individuals who have cancer, are too old to drive, don’t have a car, are scared to come out in public, or don’t have family to help them. Due to Covid-19 and other economic factors, the number of families we serve continues to grow. We are also able to provide food to some precious children at 3 small schools in the San Fernando Valley. In addition we deliver food to 50 families/week on an emergency basis. These are families and individuals who have cancer, are too old to drive, are without transportation, they are scared to come out in public, and or don’t have family to help them. Due to Covid-19 and other economic factors, the number of families we serve continues to grow exponentially. That is why we reach out to LOCAL RETAILERS. Our team works hard to ensure that all the donated food we receive goes to good use and quickly gets to those who need it the most. We feed the homeless in the community by donating weekly a box truck full of food to our partners at Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission. We have recently expanded our services to the homeless in Oakland, needy children in Mexico, and we are helping build an orphanage for 4,000 children in Nigeria. (I’ve visited the orphans myself) Our team is very dedicated, hard-working, available and flexible. Whenever you need us, we will be there. Thank you and God bless you, Pastor George Williams CEO/Founder - God’s Purpose Ministries “We are serving someone somewhere…everyday.”

Our Aim

Our aim is to share the Gospel and glorify God by feeding the needy, the hungry, the homeless and the struggling families in the greater Los Angeles area and abroad in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Staff

Emily Petito (Pastor George's Mom) has about 30 years of experience running food/nutrition programs for children in low income families, and has worked hard as the primary Director of Bread of Life Ministries since it started in 2010. Our staff has grown to over 50 dedicated and hard-working volunteers.

I had never had a desire to start a food distribution ministry, but I really felt the Lord wanted me to go down there.

How it all got started

God can do so much with so little. He has such an interesting way of moving; He never ceases to amaze me. Back in 2011, I was finishing up a year of service as one of the Associate Pastors at a Church in Hawthorne, California. We had performed the Crucifixion Experience there several times and we even took TCE on the road to a few other churches. Meanwhile the Lord doubled the size of the church. Before I left, a friend of mine named Pastor Amy Ayano, gave me a name and phone number on a small piece of paper…, and she said, "Call this lady." I didn't know who the lady was or why Pastor Amy said that I should call her, but I put the paper in my pocket and forgot about it. A few days later I found the paper and I stuck it in a drawer. A few months later, I was working on editing one of our video presentations of "The Crucifixion Experience" in Nigeria, I came across the small piece of paper, so I called the number on it. The lady's name was Sadie, she was the director of a food pantry called "SAVES" in Culver City, California. I had never had a desire to start a food distribution ministry, but I really felt the Lord wanted me to go down there. A few days later, I saw how many people they helped, and what an amazing difference they made for families in their community. When all the families were helped and they were about to close for the day, I saw them throwing about 20-30 very large bags of extra bread, pastries, and other food in the trash dumpster. My heart was grieved. What a waste of food. There had to be a way to get that left-over food to people that need it. Sadie said that because GOD’S PURPOSE MINISTRIES is a non-profit organization (501c3), I was welcome to take the food! if I was sure I could safely and properly distribute it. I told her I would, although I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do with all that food. I loaded up my car with as much food as I could fit, which was about 15 large bags. I drove home to our apartment complex,set up a table in the courtyard, and I put up a sign "FREE FOOD". Families came out to see what was going on, and soon every week, the hard-working but needy families in our building were enjoying free bread, pastries, and a wide variety of produce that they needed for their families. Every little bit helps. In the following weeks people in the community and the surrounding neighborhood started coming into our building to get food as well. A very big need was being met. News of all the free food spread quickly, and the ministry began to grow. I got my mom, Emily, involved. We developed a set of rules for conduct and distribution. Over time we have assembled a faithful team of volunteers. Together along with the families we serve we gather to pray before we unloading the food. More and more families continue to benefit every week from God's provision and the hard work from my Mom and her team. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Jesus' Name. - Pastor George Williams

Matthew 25:34-40

Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me ."

Distribution Calendar

special note

If you are a grocery store or other food service establishment that is researching our organization. THANK YOU for visiting us. We are well aware that well established companies like yours may already have organizations in place to receive your daily food, flower, or donations.

We just want to make ourselves available to you as a back-up organization that you may need from time to time when your current organization cannot pick up the food. Or you may be looking to replace your current organization with a new one.

Either way, we are available for you. We look forward to continuing to serve the people of our community who need a little help on a weekly basis, and we will hopefully be able to assist you in seeing that your soon- to-expire food or flowers are quickly, safely, and responsibly distributed to families who need it. If you need us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

pastor@godspurposeministries.org