Deb Reimers of New Holland remembers when she first began volunteering at what was then called the New Holland Food Bank when it was being run by area churches more than 30 years ago. "Kathy Newswanger asked if I wanted to help," recalled Deb, adding that the food bank was then located in a little room at the end of a strip mall near the corner of Main Street and Oak Avenue.

The recollection is significant because it led to three generations, including her three children and nine grandchildren, now volunteering with CrossNet Ministries in a variety of capacities. Deb, who has since served on the ELANCO School Board and as chair of the CrossNet Ministries board, said there is a singular reason for her efforts. "(Volunteering) is what the Lord tells us to do," she said, adding that she has served because she felt the Lord calling her to do so.

Deb began setting an example for her three children, sons Adam and Josh and daughter Heather, when they were very small, taking them along when the food bank moved to Trinity Lutheran Church. "Many of the volunteers were older, and food was stored upstairs in the church and brought down to the food bank," said Deb, who noted that her children were able to bring food down from upstairs. "(In the summer), we would work at the food bank and then go to the pool," she said, adding that her sons, both Cub Scouts, took part in the Scouting for Food collection each fall.

Now, both Heather and Deb's daughter-in-law, Hannah, who is married to Adam, help regularly at CrossNet's Food and Nutrition Center, and Heather answers phones sometimes in the CrossNet office. Adam delivers food to the pantry and helped with the Homestead Project, pledging money to the effort with each home he sold as a real estate agent. Heather's husband, Jason, served as a mentor for a local youth through CrossNet and, using his construction and design skills, helped create plans to remodel the house on Franklin Street that became the CrossNet's resource center and the warehouse that was turned into youth center space.

Deb's grandchildren have all helped with CrossNet's Summer Lunch program, which provides food for ELANCO School District children during the months when school is out. "The grandchildren go along to help deliver lunches to the various sites," said Deb, noting that sometimes she is at the Food and Nutrition Center with some of her grandchildren and finds Heather and her children volunteering at the same time. During the month of March, both she and Heather were at the food pantry each Wednesday when area residents picked up food.

Since Deb was a board member when the organization was able to expand from a youth center to offering a resource center with services to those in need, she was able to recall the experience in detail. "I remember when we were offered the house next door (to the youth center on Franklin Street)," she recalled. "We couldn't afford it, so we thought, 'If it's going to happen, God will make it happen,' and He did." Remembering how surprised board members were when the house became available, she said, "(The option to purchase the house) came out of nowhere. It was a God thing."

More information about CrossNet Ministries may be found at https://elancocross.org.