NILES, Ohio - Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. the parking lot outside of the Rust City Church in Niles is steadily filled with cars.

Inside of the cars are people who are in need of food assistance that helps them get through the week.

Before the drivers line up, the team is already outside setting up an assembly line. They sort food, pack bags, and organize toiletries, creating an efficient system long before the first trunk opens.

Once everything is ready, the volunteers gather for a brief meeting to regroup and pray, reminding each other of the purpose behind their work.

"The church saw that there was a need in the community and wanted to figure out a way to be able to meet that need," said Jenny Cline, Outreach Director at Rust City Church said.

Cline shared that the weekly food distribution began in 2020 to provide essential toiletries along with non-perishable and fresh food to address local food insecurity. What started with a small 15-foot box truck has expanded significantly.

"We used to have a really small, like 15-foot box truck that they would just go around and get food that they could," Cline said. "Eventually, we made a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank, so they really help us out. That's where we get our food from. Every week, we have a team of people that go and pick that food up. We give away every single piece of food that we get." 

At exactly six o'clock, the drive-thru opens. Cars move forward one at a time as volunteers load bags into open trunks, offering friendly greetings along the way.

Over the years, participation has grown from around 100 cars each week to about 300. The volunteer team has expanded alongside the increasing need.

"Our team has been growing. When I took over, I had about 15 to 18 people, and I'm roughly at 30 [volunteers] now with people that are here every week, rain, shine, all the things," Cline said. 

For Rust City Church, this weekly effort is about more than just providing food,  it focuses on compassion, dignity, and making a positive impact in the community every Wednesday night.