Christmas came early for the Sixteen13 Ministry, which has a new refrigerated trailer to help it get food into the hands of people in need across the region.
On Friday, the Winkler area ministry unveiled the trailer to its supporters, many of whom have their company logos on the side in recognition of the financial or in-kind donations that made it all possible. Nearly $37,000 was raised to purchase and outfit the vehicle.
“These companies all believe in what we’re doing,” says ministry president Harold Espinosa.
What Sixteen13 is doing is picking up donations of thousands of pounds of food each week and distributing them to families across southern Manitoba.
“We pick up a boatload of vegetables—around 4,000 pounds every week,” Espinosa says, sharing that local farmers and companies like Jeffries Bros Vegetable Growers, Four Seasons Potato Ltd., Heartland Fresh Pack, and Western Harvest Beans have overwhelmed them with their generosity.
“That number is going to increase,” he says, “because now that we have a reefer [refrigerated trailer], I can go to more places, different companies that have chicken and a whole bunch of other things and see if they’re willing to donate … we have no limits now except for what people want to do and want to give.”
Sixteen13’s Compassion Ministry program walks alongside hundreds of families and marginalized individuals; they’re delivering food to upwards of 300 households each month.
Their mission with this work, Espinosa explains, is to build relationships, provide support, and demonstrate the love of Christ.
It creates a real ripple effect in the community, he notes, with many of the people they work with turning around and doing what they can to give back as well.
“The cool thing about us growing is that with all these things we need helpers. This gives all the immigrants and all those that are being helped a chance to say, ‘You know what? I can’t give back with finances, but I can give my time.’”
In addition to helping out with ministry programs and events, Sixteen13’s families have jumped at the chance to volunteer at the Winkler Harvest Festival, for example, and last month’s From Everywhere to Bethlehem living nativity production.
“I had a friend there who called me and said they needed help with unloading and loading,” Espinosa shares. “I made a few calls and we had 18 guys just like that. We had Ukrainians, Africans, Mexico, Germany … we were all working together. That unity makes all the difference.”
‘I believe in helping people’
Supporting the purchase of the trailer with financial or in-kind donations was Agassiz Trailers, Koolers Refrigeration Ltd, Garry Klassen Electric, Choice Reality, Sunlife Insurance, Banman Meats, Kroeker Farms Limited, Froese Enterprises Inc, Schnell Industries Inc, and Sunvalley Tire.
Banman Meats has been processing cows for the ministry for several years now.
“I believe in helping people,” owner Tina Wiebe says. “So we donate our time for processing the meat.
“Very often someone comes in with beef they want to donate and [Harold] doesn’t even know about it,” she adds, noting those are always good days when she gets to call him with that news.
“We do help locally a lot, because here we can see the impact,” Wiebe says.
Sunvalley Tire’s Jeremy Hildebrand says the work of Sixteen13 resonates with the company, making a financial donation for this project an easy decision.
“Any ministry like this that goes out, reaches people that are in need, and helps them be in a closer relationship with Jesus is really important,” he says.
Espinosa gives thanks to God and to each and every business who supported this project.
“All the people who are receiving [groceries], they’re very grateful and thankful,” he says. “We’re all so grateful.”
