The Bread for Life Community Food Pantry is one of four food pantries that exist in Gloucester. The pantries at Abingdon Episcopal Church, Susanna Wesley United Methodist Church, and Union Baptist Church are the others. 

Bread for Life, according to Bob Quinzel, executive director, is one of the largest food pantries in Hampton Roads. It began when the Rev. Jim Cowles came to St. Therese Roman Catholic Church. There had been a food pantry at Cowles’ previous church and he thought it would be a good fit for St. Therese.

In March 2009 a converted two-car garage next to the church opened as a food pantry, and provided food one day a week.

Today, operating three days a week, Bread for Life handles more than 5,000 pounds of food for approximately 420 families in one week. Explaining how it operates, Quinzel said, “Once registered, when they come through the line, they first check in at the computer first of all.  Then they pick up a number to indicate how many famil...