The small room in the rear of the City Mission Church is packed nearly wall to wall with groceries of all sorts — a plethora of items provided daily to the needy in the area. Visitors can find every sort of item you could imagine, from macaroni and cheese and asparagus to spaghetti sauce and cereal.

One of those who works to keep the pantry running efficiently and its shelves stocked and tidy is Everett “Tom” Sharp, who started working with the pantry more than 25 years ago and is one of the longest-serving volunteers at the Mission.

Sharp can be found at the pantry five days a week. It’s something that needs to be a full-time job, he joked. He sorts and puts up food items, picks up donations, and makes up food boxes for those who request them, among other jobs at the mission.

Although it is a sometimes-tedious job, you will rarely hear Sharp complaining.

“I just enjoy helping people out,” said Sharp, who will turn 62 years old Wednesday. “The church has been good to me and so I like to do this to help other out.”

Sharp said he was inspired to volunteer at the mission because his wife, Emma, began to do so a short time before he started. His friend, Dave Russell, also gave him a nudge toward the pantry, he said.

“There are people out there that really need help,” said Sharp when asked why he thinks his work at the pantry is so important.

He said the local economy has been crippled by all of the plant and business closings over the past two decades. The closures have led to an increased number of families who are struggling to make ends meet and need help from the Mission.

The Rev. Jeff Cremeans, who heads the Mission, said volunteers like Sharp are the backbone of the organization, especially since there are only three paid employees.

“Words can’t really describe how important they are to us,” Cremeans said. “I think Tom (Sharp) has done about everything around here. He’s drove church vans, picked up furniture; he’s a handy man and has done plumbing and carpentry. Whatever you want him to do, if he don’t know what to do, he’ll at least try to it.”