Nourishing Neighborhoods: Jackson’s Rosemont Food Pantry

Sometimes counting every coin and stretching every dollar still isn’t enough to keep healthy food on the table. That’s why Jackson’s Rosemont Missionary Baptist Church opened its Rosemont Food Pantry in 2018. Since then, the pantry has become a reliable resource for neighbors and neighborhoods alike throughout Jackson, Hinds, and Rankin counties.

Located on the outskirts of South Jackson’s historic Duttoville neighborhood, Rosemont partners with the Mississippi Food Network to get nonperishable groceries, fresh produce and other essentials to families and individuals in dire need. Distributions are made by appointment onlyto ensure that everyone is served fairly and appropriately. Appointment days and times vary, but currently appointments take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Rosemont Food Pantry had its humble beginnings as a church-led response to serve the area.

“Pastor Jimmy Lee Edwards had a vision for what the church could provide,” pantry director Brenda Carpenter said of the food pantry’s origin. “Where the hungry, the depressed [and] the downtrodden can come and find the things that they need. We even have a garden out there, and we sometimes get food from the garden.”

Though the pantry receives most of the food it distributes from the Mississippi Food Network, it also relies heavily on community generosity. "We accept non-perishables like canned goods, and we also accept donations,” Carpenter said. “We want Jackson to know that the pantry is here to serve them. We can’t feed someone for a whole month, but we can provide a supplement.” She said the pantry’s unofficial goal is to provide at least three full meals a month for their recipients and their families. Currently, most of the recipients are seniors.

The pantry fosters community by drawing volunteers, donors and recipients together from across Jackson and beyond. The Mississippi Food Network, food drives, church collections and individual donations keep the shelves stocked while the pantry’s activities are managed entirely by volunteers who sort food items, prepack boxes and handle distribution. The fact that recipients often return as helpers once their circumstances improve is a testament to how much the pantry means to them.

Rosemont Food Pantry provides far more than groceries; it helps keep the Jackson community healthy, eases financial strain and provides a vital connection among neighbors who might otherwise become isolated. It helps residents look out for one another, and it’s what makes Rosemont Missionary Baptist Church and its humble food pantry a crucial part of the City With Soul.

Volunteers and donors remain essential to sustaining the pantry. Residents can help by donating nonperishables, funds or their time. Students looking for community service credit are also encouraged to reach out. Rosemont Food Pantry is located at 3930 Officer Thomas Catchings Sr. Drive in South Jackson and is served by Jackson Police Precinct 3. To make an appointment, call 601-355-3121 or 769-798-7179. Updates can be found on the Rosemont Food Pantry Facebook page.