DULUTH, MN (February 26, 2015) — When a local food bank at the Union Gospel Mission ran out of food earlier this month, more than 600 attendees of Lakeview Covenant Church went shopping at local Super One grocery stores and purchased nearly 18,000 pounds of goods.

Congregants filled more than a dozen pickup trucks at both store locations as part of the church’s “Operation Empty Shelves.” The entire undertaking took only three hours.

Pastor Eric Bain said the event helped increase awareness of the plight of people in desperate need of food. It also gave the church a chance to demonstrate how Christians respond to needs, said other members.

The event took place Sunday, February 8, and member John Mulder wrote on Facebook that it was a “good worship experience.”