ROCKINGHAM — Walmart patrons on Wednesday were treated to free chocolate milk courtesy of the Place of Grace Campus, who found themselves with extra on Monday.

Place of Grace received six pallets of the milk from its partner food pantry in Aberdeen on Monday. Pastor Gary Richardson said they gave out all they were offering the first day about four hours after they invited people to pick it up. The rest was kept in storage and distributed by Jeffrey Stone and Stef at Walmart.

Stef, who said he is more recognizable by this name than his full name, encouraged patrons to “be greedy” and take as much milk as they wanted, whether for themselves or friends and neighbors. Milk has been among the essential items that have been difficult to find since people began stockpiling due to fears over COVID-19.

Richardson said Place of Grace’s goal is to use their partnerships to “help our community in any way possible.”

“It’s important to be able to give back what’s been given to you,” said Stone as he climbed down from the stack of milk crates in the back of their pickup.

“It’s really thoughtful because not many people have had the opportunity to buy it,” said Ana Martinez, who was shopping with her 8-year-old son Gabriel on Wednesday.

Stef gave them two cartons each. Stef said he “loves” watching people’s reactions to him rolling up with a cart full of free milk.

“We’re not selling it, we’re reaching people who need it,” Stef said. He added that he watched a man with a car full of kids load two crates of milk into his car and was “tickled” because Stef knew they had helped the man.

“Thank you so much, what a blessing,” said Jackie Huggins, a teacher at Monroe Avenue Elementary School, as stef loaded a crate of milk into her car. Huggins said the chocolate milk was a “huge help” because she had three kids at home and they were all sick of drinking regular milk.

“The more helpful we can be towards others the better,” she said.

Gavin Stone | Daily Journal Stef loads a crate of chocolate milk into Jackie Huggins’s car in the parking lot of Walmart on Wednesday. Huggins, a teacher at Monroe Avenue Elementary School, said her three kids are sick of drinking regular milk.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/web1_Milk-Man1-2.jpgGavin Stone | Daily Journal Stef loads a crate of chocolate milk into Jackie Huggins’s car in the parking lot of Walmart on Wednesday. Huggins, a teacher at Monroe Avenue Elementary School, said her three kids are sick of drinking regular milk.

Gavin Stone | Daily Journal Stef offers Ana Martinez and her son, Gabriel, free chocolate milk on Wednesday.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/web1_milk-man2-2.jpgGavin Stone | Daily Journal Stef offers Ana Martinez and her son, Gabriel, free chocolate milk on Wednesday.

Gavin Stone

News Editor

Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2673 or [email protected].