BUCYRUS—It is a new year and two sisters are working diligently to continue their parents’ legacy of helping others and new plans are on the horizon for 2021.
Ashley France and Christina Shaw lost their mom, Pastor Anita France, in 2012, and their dad, Pastor Bernie France, in 2019. Both of their parents headed up many outreach ministries in Crawford County for decades and now their daughters are doing the same through their own ministry, Prevailing Word Ministry in Motion. Their food pantry is located at 540 N. Sandusky Ave., in Bucyrus and opened early in 2020.
“Wow, what a year we had in 2020! I’m pleased with the growth that has taken place for us so far. We have overcome many obstacles to get where we are today. I’m proud of my sister and our PWMIM team of volunteers,” said Shaw.
She said it takes a team to make it all work.
“It’s not just Ashley and me. We recently received our partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank and are still working with distributors to keep our pantry well-stocked. I am the Outreach Administrator and stay diligent in filing for grants and building relationships with local businesses,” said Shaw.
Shaw said that as the pair move into 2021, they are planning on adding another day each month for local residents to pick up food at their pantry. This will mean there will be two different times that residents can utilize the facility to stock their own pantries at home instead of the one day per month that is offered currently.
“We want to serve as many people in our community as we can each month. With that growth will come more focus on volunteers and donations. We will be seeking out businesses to partner with and are considering joining the (Bucyrus Area) Chamber of Commerce this year,” said Shaw. “We have the foundation in place, now we’re really ready to take our Outreach Services to the next level. We are seeking funding and approvals for signage at the Food Pantry.”
Ashley France lives in Bucyrus while Shaw moved to the Akron area several years ago. This has made it possible for the sisters to maintain two outreach ministries to help people in both locations.
While Ashley France works at the ministry in Bucyrus, Shaw heads up Ministry in Motion Friends in Tents in Summit County.
“We work directly within the camps and streets of Akron sharing a hot meal and supplies on a weekly basis. We have served over 100 Friends in Tents per week when the weather is warmer and nearly 60 weekly now,” said Shaw.
She said the program has seen tremendous growth in donations this past year.
“We are beginning to gain a great following of people who believe in what we do and also want to help but just don’t know where to start. Many supporters love that we hit the streets and their items go directly to those in need. We have an Amazon Wishlist that can be found on our website as well as our Facebook page,” said Shaw.
She, along with Ashley, has been working on their goals for both ministries to accomplish in 2021.
“Our goals for this year include building trust and relationships with people on the streets, increase their motivations to change and support them in accessing health services and housing. It has taken us all of 2020 to gain trust from a number of our F.I.T. They now have access to our resources and feel comfortable asking for items they need. We want to encourage their growth and not continue to enable bad behaviors. There has to be a balance and knowing when to say no,” said Shaw.
She said they are also focused on securing funding to be able to continue to move at the pace they are growing, becoming more familiar with local agencies and programs that can offer help, and to optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families who experience homelessness.
“We want to promote knowledge about homelessness because no all stories are the same. They are no all drug addicts,” said Shaw.
She said they want to assist people in finding affordable housing and help them secure the income to sustain it.
“We also will be adding more individuals to our Volunteer Team to share our routes, meal prep and delivery schedule,” Shaw said.
While she is sad her parents are not here to be part of their ministry, she thinks they would be in awe of how much the sisters have accomplished just since last year.
“I know that it has been God opening every door and putting just the right people in our path at just the right time,” said Shaw. “But truthfully, if my dad were still here I don’t think anything would be what it is today because he would have never stepped back and let Ashley and I take over.”
Ashley has said previously that she is the youngest daughter of the sisters and that she is proud to carry on the legacy of her parents.
“My parents served the community for nearly 30 years in many different ways. They ran a local church, Prevailing Word Ministries Christian Center here in Crawford County, along with a daycare facility, a restaurant, the county’s first sober living facility and a food pantry,” said Ashley. “It’s in our DNA to help people. It’s all we’ve ever seen, it’s all we’ve ever been taught. When all you have left of a life you once lived and all you have left of the people who meant the most are pictures, memories, and a legacy of ministry, you will do whatever it takes to keep those memories and that legacy alive,” said Ashley. “With my sister and I, it was never a question as to “if“ we wanted to continue running our parents’ legacy of ministry, and it was never a question of “how“ we would do it. We were always taught that when something is led by God, all you have to do is use your faith in believing it will come to pass.”
To donate to either program or for more information, contact Ashley at 419-561-1761, email her or visit the Prevailing Word Ministry in Motion Facebook page. If you need to make an appointment to pick up food items, also call Ashley at 419-561-1761.