Mama J’s being forced to relocate food pantry

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Jeanette Adams, you may know her as Mama J, is the force behind Mama J’s Helping Hand. Now, she needs some help of her own.

Mama J has only been in her new location in Wilmington since November. But today she says she’s being forced out and she had to have it all out by today.

“We came to start packing and we were told we have six hours to get our stuff completely out of here.” Lopez said.

In November, Mama J and Pastor Michael Satorre of Visions of Hope Church were in good graces as Satorre opened his church doors to house Mama J’s Helping Hand food pantry. But she says that relationship got rocky last week.

“I let him know that my prescription medicine had gone missing,” Lopez said. I also let him know of some other things that I thought are not okay being the treasurer of Visions of Hope and he got very angry with me.”

Lopez says that Satorre cursed at her and told her, that despite verbal and text message agreements, she had to leave. Ten freezers full of food, nonperishables, clothing and other supplies, and she says everything must go.

“We do help so many people and now 800 to 1000 people are not going to have the help that Mama J’s Helping Hand was providing for them,” Lopez said. “It leaves me very confused as to why it is happening and especially why it’s happening from a pastor.”

When we spoke to Pastor Satorre about it, he said he had no comment other than his track record speaks for himself and he wasn’t doing anything wrong. Now, Mama J says she needs a helping hand.

“All of these freezers are going to go bad and all of the food is going to go bad,” Lopez said. “They’re not giving me any other option.”

Mama J tells us that she is going to bring the items to a storage unit and try to give away some of the food. But she is also looking for a new location.

She asks if you or anyone you know has an area to house the food pantry, you can contact her at (910) 650-3957.