GREENFIELD — The folks who operate the Hancock County Food Pantry couldn’t be happier.
After outgrowing the rented space the pantry called home for the past 14 years, the nonprofit has purchased its own 7,200-square-foot location in Greenfield and is currently renovating the space, which should serve thousands of local families for years to come.
The pantry’s new home is the former K&R Tool Shed property at 2040 W. Main St., just east of North Meridian Road.
Organizers say the new building will provide much needed space but will require extensive renovations, which will include a new HVAC system, roof, garage doors and signage. The work is estimated to cost about $481,000.
The remodeling job — which is being done by Mills General Contractors, Inc. — will include the addition of a new walk-in cooler/freezer, an open-sided canopy for serving clients, two new ADA-compliant restrooms, parking lot resurfacing and new paint and electrical upgrades throughout the building.
Longtime board member Liz Rusche said the upgrade will also improve the client experience and traffic flow while providing a functional, safe and climate-controlled environment for volunteers.
Renovations are projected to last through November or December, during which time the pantry will continue it operations out of its current location at 741 S. State St. in Greenfield.
“Our plan is to have no breaks in service,” said Rusche, adding that the pantry is serving roughly 800 families per month, the most in its 30-year history.
The move is a huge step for the nonprofit, which started out of a small closet at Faith United Methodist Church in 1993. Ever since then, the pantry has provided groceries to those in need. Clients may visit twice a month, receiving roughly $150 to $175 of food on each visit.
The pantry is a 100% volunteer-based, funded solely by grants and donations. Eighty to 100 volunteers serve each week, racking up over 800 volunteer hours each month.
In addition to serving hundreds of families at the food pantry, the nonprofit also stocks Greenfield-Central and Eastern Hancock school pantries and provides weekend meals for students in need. It also collaborates and shares food surpluses with other local organizations.
Board members and volunteers can’t wait to enhance the service the pantry provides once the bigger and better facility is finished.
The nonprofit is seeking the public’s support to help the pantry sustain its mission to alleviate hunger in Hancock County, especially due to the rising cost of food and construction.
While the pantry has cash reserves for ongoing normal operating expenses, support is needed to offset the high cost of remodeling.
The public is invited to support the pantry in the following ways:
—Send check or cash donations to P.O. Box 244, Greenfield, IN 46140, making checks payable to: Hancock County Food Pantry;
—Donate a one-time or recurring gift online at HancockCountyFoodPantry.com (online donations incur a 3% transaction fee to the pantry);
—Donate shares of stock through the pantry’s Edward Jones account. For details, contact [email protected];
—Suggest any other foundations or organizations to approach for funding.
To support and follow activity, follow the Hancock County Food Pantry on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
