OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations across the metro have been working to help provide the city’s homeless population with food and clothing after the virus shut down homeless shelters and some food pantries.

Sister BJ’s food pantry was one that was forced to shut down around March, putting all services at a halt until further notice.

“Her vision she thought, the need is still there, we still need to feed these people but how can we do it?” Rose Sewell said, a volunteer at Sister BJ’s Food Pantry.

In charge of the pantry is Sister Barbara Joseph Foley. Sewell said Foley was determined to find a way to continue serving.

“Sister found a shuttle bus in Tulsa. She and Butch drove to Tulsa, and Ryan, another volunteer. They drove there and saw it and thought, ‘That will work,’” Sewell said.

Every Sunday, volunteers pack up and drive around the city, handing out food to those who need it most.

“We truly, truly love what we do here at Sister BJ’s,” Sewell said.

Sewell said they look forward to the day they are able to serve from their pantry again.

“We’re so looking forward to being able to serve out there in the garden again to welcome our friends back and be able to have that one-on-one conversation with them. They might miss us, but we truly miss them,” Sewell said.

The pantry also offers foot massages, and soon, eye appointments, on top of handing out clothes and shoes for those experiencing homelessness.

“We’re so thankful for all the volunteers. It takes a small village to run this,” Sewell said.