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DENVER (KDVR) — At Denver’s Epworth United Methodist Church, Pastor Vicky Alvarado said community comes first.

Every room of their basement is filled with freezers, fridges and shelves used for the church’s food pantry. 

“It’s a small church with a big heart,” Alvarado said.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, dozens of people line up for food outside the church off High Street and Bruce Randolph Avenue.

Most of the food comes from the Food Bank of the Rockies and from local grocery store donations.

“They come here for a reason,” Alvarado said. “They come here because they don’t have nothing on their table.”

Truck thieves didn’t think about the impact’

But the congregation is suddenly facing a new problem: getting that critical food supply to the church. Last week, their Ford Super Duty truck was stolen from a small lot on the back side of the church.

“They didn’t think about the impact and the issues this will create,” Alvarado said.

Wednesday, food pantry Director Rose Milon had to get creative, borrowing trucks from multiple people to go pick up the food.

“It was inconvenient, and it’s gonna be an inconvenience for us until we come up with a truck or figure out some way where we can go pick up the food,” she said.

Milon said the church only had liability coverage on the truck, so unless they find it, they’re out of luck. No matter what, they promise to continue finding a way to serve the community.

“We’re not going to stop,” Alvarado said. “God will always give us ways.”