Founder Luther Slay spoke of his gratitude for the generosity that has kept the Shepherd's Storehouse able to meet the needs of the area's residents to the Lake Ray Roberts Rotary Club on Jan. 6.
The nonprofit, which was born from an interfaith effort to feed those in need in Pilot Point and the surrounding area, has never needed to solicit donations, Slay said.
'Our finances come from people like you,' Slay said. 'We don't have a money drive. We never had in all the 38 years of being in business, we've never had to get out in the community and beg for money. It always comes to us.'
Instead, Slay said, the need has been met by donations from Ranch Cities residents and businesses.
One of the biggest contributions in 2025 came in the form of a $50,000 donation.
' After I got up off the floor, I said thank you,' Slay said.
The storehouse can use its purchasing power to stretch $1 to bring in $3 worth of food.
The level of need in the area comes as a shock to some, Slay added.
'I don't think many folks realize the need,' he said. 'I really don't. They don't realize how many people out there are hurting.'
That need has grown from 25 families at its inception to around 270 families per month now.
That amounted to 9,752 people helped in 2025.
'We are the only fulltime food pantry in this part of the country,' Slay said. 'There's one in Aubrey and one in Collinsville, but we're the only one that's operating three days a week and we're the only one that gives about 100 pounds of food every time they come.'
Some of the food comes from the Tarrant Area Food Bank, but local businesses and donors provide the bulk of the resources that the storehouse distributes.
'We try to keep enough food come in all the time, not only from the Tarrant [Area] Food Bank, but also [Brookshire Brothers] here in town,' Slay said. '[They've] been so good to us with the pallets of food, canned goods and things. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, some of our men go there and pick up bread, cakes and things of that sort that are left over from the day before.'
He also created Allsup's for its donations, as well as the schools in Pilot Point ISD.
'That's how we keep going,' Slay said.
The storehouse also helps people needing help with their utility bill with a limit of $500.
'We try our best to help all of them,' he said.
Slay thanked the 50 volunteers, including Rotarian Rowland Funk, who make the work possible.
'Rowland Funk here is one of my key people in the Shepherd's Storehouse,' Slay said. 'And he, too, joins with me in saying thank you.'
Slay added that there's 'room for more' volunteers.
He also thanked the Rotary Club for being a consistent supporter of the Storehouse.
The club gave a $1,000 donation to Slay following his presentation.
'We're just all grateful that we do that on a regular basis for y'all,' Rotary Club President Penni Moening said as she gave him the check.
Serving others drives Slay.
'I love to see people happy; I love to see families happy,' he said. 'And when they aren't happy, and I know that, I can't be happy until something is done for them.'
