The impact of the pantry reaches far beyond Underwood. People travel from across Brisbane to access the pantry including families from Calamvale and even one man who regularly catches a bus from Indooroopilly.

“They don’t just come here to buy things, they love this atmosphere,” said Pastor Shane.

That sense of belonging is central to everything Agape Pantry does. “We treat them like family,” Pastor Wendy said.

Every Wednesday, the pantry hosts a community coffee morning where people can connect, share stories and build friendships. For many visitors, it is just as important as the food itself.

One of the pantry’s most inspiring initiatives is its ‘Pay It Forward’ voucher program, inspired by the film of the same name.

“People donate money to us, and then we can turn it into a voucher for someone in need to use at the pantry, mostly single mums and elders,” explained Yuki, Manager at Agape Community Pantry.

As awareness of the initiative grew, community members began purchasing vouchers for strangers facing difficult circumstances.

“People have a heart for the community. We thought, why don’t we just put a sign there? And then when people saw the sign, they said, ‘Oh, I want do that.’ So now it’s become something for the public,” Pastor Shane stated.

The team describes the growing generosity as “a love chain.”