COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Turner Memorial AME Church hosts a mobile food pantry with the help of Harvest Hope Food Bank to help feed people in the area who need it.

Billy Joel Cooper volunteers with his best friend Andrew Smoak whenever he can, and helps unload food.

Cooper came to Columbia after he was forced from his home in New Orleans after huricane Katrina. He knows what it's like to be in a new place and not know anyone.

Cooper met Smoake after he relocated here from New York.

They now work together, along with volunteering at the mobile pantry.

Although they are volunteers at the food pantry they also receive food from the church as well.

"It means I can eat," said Cooper.

"When Billy had told me about the here I came along because I sure could use the food," said Smoak.

"People are going through real hard times right now, especially people with kids. I'll tell you what I raised eleven kids, and I wouldn't want to raise them now in this time," said Cooper. 

According to Harvest Hope mobile food pantries help feed more than 30 thousand people throughout the state, and anyone interested in hosting one can click here.