Martha's Mission
Like most successful efforts, it started with one inspired per
son, Hannah Dexter. As Christmas was approaching in 1979, Ms.
Dexter, a member of the United Methodist Church in Morehead
City, was looking for a way women in her parish could help the
needy. After consulting with several local charities and with her
pastor, Rufus Stark, Ms. Dexter requested and received from the
county’s Department of Social Services names of 40 families. The
women of the church visited these famihes to assess needs and
prepared boxes of food, clothes and other gifts for them.
The holiday passed, but Ms. Dexter knew the needs would
be as great after Christmas as they were before. She encouraged
her parish to continue visiting these 40 families and to provide
assistance as necessary. Over the next two years, the Christmas
outreach program grew, and United Methodist Church also con
tinued to assist families needing help throughout the year. There
were referrals from Beacon House, Helpline, Community Action
and the Department of Social Services.
In 1982, to avoid a duplication of efforts, other churches (First
Presbyterian Church, St. Egbert Catholic Church, First Baptist
Church and Shepherd by the Sea Lutheran Church) joined United
Methodist Church in supplying basic necessities to needy families
throughout the year. They did not have a stock of supplies, but
church members always responded when there was a request for
food, so the ongoing program became known as Mother Hub
bard’s Cupboard.
By 1984, more churches and civic groups had become in
volved. The entire effort began to expand and was in need of a
fixed location where food could be stored and distributed. Paul
and Jim Johnson, owners of a Western Steer Steak House that was
on Bridges Street offered a back dining room as a site for distrib
uting food. They also provided storage space for stocking items.
And so. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard was no longer bare and
became Martha’s Mission Cupboard, the reference being to the
hospitable Martha of the New Testament. Betty Holloway became
the Mission Cupboard’s first director. It started out with fifty-five
volunteers. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to
11 a.m. and on Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m., they dis
tributed food to families who were required, then as now, to bring
referral slips from the Department of Social Services.
Seven churches were involved at this time. In addition to the
five mentioned above, there were St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
and Parkview Baptist. A Board of Directors was formed with a
member of each church represented.
To ensure a balanced stock of canned goods and dry goods,
each church was responsible for donating specific food items.
Money donations went to purchase additional items. There were
also donations from individuals and other organizations. Soon,
Martha’s Mission Cupboard required more storage space, and a
new freestanding storage building was installed at the back of the
Western Steer parking lot.
By 1986, Martha’s Mission Cupboard was on solid footing.
Area churches created the ecumenical organization Bogue Banks
Resort Ministries, which began to provide regular funding for a
variety of charities including Martha’s Mission Cupboard. How
ever, the Cupboard continued to operate independently under its
own Board of Directors with Betty Holloway as director.
After only two years, Martha’s Mission Cupboard had earned
bragging rights for its good work. It was one of the county’s and
the state’s outstanding volunteer organizations. On October 10,
(Continued from 1)
1986, Betty Holloway, accepted the Governor’s Award on behalf of
Martha’s Mission:
But, the following year was to be a bumpy one. In 1987, a
red tide was beginning to affect local shellfish, jeopardizing the
livelihood of Carteret County’s fishing community. More families
than ever before were being referred to the Mission Cupboard for
assistance. The Western Steer Restaurant could no longer provide
space, and Betty Holloway stepped down as director.
Fortunately, St. Egbert’s Catholic Church offered Martha’s
Mission Cupboard one of its buildings. Lillian Webster and Sarah
Hamilton stepped up to serve as co-directors on an interim basis
until October 1987, when Jenny Horne accepted the role of direc
tor.
In 1988, economic conditions worsened as the red tide contin
ued. Martha’s Mission Cupboard served 15,532 people that year,
■dramatically more than it served any year before or since.
To those involved, it seemed a miraculous achievement. Do
nations soared, as did the numbers of volunteers. For example,
40,000 pounds of food, bought largely with money from the
Southern Baptist Convention, came in from a Raleigh food bank,
and about 100 volunteers arrived to unload these donations. Helig
Meyers Furniture donated a freezer. Capt. Bill’s Restaurant, the
Armory in Morehead City and Quick Freeze in Beaufort pro
vided additional space for storing food. Other money and food
donations large and small from individuals, civic organizations,
businesses and churches combined to keep the Cupboard opened
and distributing food for extended hours, Monday through Friday
from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bogue Banks Resort Ministries provided
$3,000 a month in support. The slogan “neighbor helping neigh
bor” became the reality of day-to-day operations at Martha’s Mis
sion Cupboard.
Though everyone involved was grateful for the space St.
Egbert’s Church was providing, it became clear in 1988 that a
more permanent home was highly desirable. First Baptist Church
of Morehead City had property on the corner of 9th and Bay
streets that it was willing to make available. A plan developed to
use this land to build a structure specifically for Martha’s Mission
Cupboard.
The First Baptist Church would make a permanent, stand
alone facility possible by retaining ownership of the property,
leasing the building to Martha’s Mission Cupboard for $1.00 per
year and providing for maintenance, utilities and insurance—an
arrangement that remains in effect to the present day. However,
Martha’s Mission Cupboard, which incorporated as a non-de-
nominational non-profit organization on April 3, 1988, had to
build its own building.
The Board of Directors estimated it needed to raise $26,000 to
begin construction on a 24’ x 48’ building. Organized fundrais
ers began. By August 7, 1988, although the board was consider
ably short of its dollar goal, enough money, material, time and
talent were donated to hold a groundbreaking ceremony and
begin construction— a feat accomplished once again through the
community’s generosity, dedication and spirit of volunteerism.
For example, David Stull, a contractor, donated his time; building
suppliers and individuals across the county donated materials and
labor.
Since December 5,1988, without interruption, Martha’s Mis
sion Cupboard has distributed food from this Bay Street building.
Jenny Horne remained as director until January 1990. In March
(Continued on page 4)
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