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| By G. Michael Dobbs Managing Editor SPRINGFIELD Above the New Beginnings Daycare Center at 721 State St. is a new beginning for the emergency food pantry operated by the Open Pantry Community Services. The second floor of the building owned by Springfield Partners for Community Action (SPCA) is the new home for the next year of the food program, Open Pantry Executive Director Kevin Noonan told Reminder Publications. The new location opened Dec. 31, 2007. Noonan expressed thanks to SPCA Executive Director Paul Bailey for offering to house the food program in the SPCA building. The Open Pantry will not be paying rent for the site. The food pantry was started in 1975 in Hope Congregational Church, which was near to the present site, Noonan said. In 1978, the operation moved to the Old First Church where it has been until last month. Although the city purchased the Old First Church complex, Noonan said there was no suggestion to keep the food pantry at its location in the basement of the church. Noonan is concerned about the move because many people are not yet aware of the new location. He said the downtown location was central to all of the buses operating in the city an advantage to those who depend upon mass transit. There are two bus lines on State Street that serve the new location as well as one on nearby Walnut Street. The new food pantry is not handicap accessible at the present time and can only be reached by a staircase. Noonan said those people who cannot use the stairs will have their food items brought to them. Noonan said the demand for the food supplied by the program is "always increasing," but donations of food are down overall. In 2006, the food pantry distributed enough food to feed over 27,690 people. The food pantry received three tractor trailers filled with donated food items from the annual Mayflower Marathon sponsored by Rock 102 at Thanksgiving, Noonan said. "We do need more food, but not just now," he said. The current inventory should last through February when more donations would be needed. Considering the amount of food Open Pantry personnel and volunteers had to move, this time was not the best time for the move. Noonan said he wished that he had been allowed to stay at the Old First Church site until March. The pantry is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. People are able to receive food from Open Pantry's Emergency Food Pantry up to five times a year. Four days worth of groceries are provided with each visit. Recipients must have a place to prepare meals. When seeking food at the emergency food pantry, one must provide the following: Picture ID for all adults in household Proof of address for all adults in household Proof of children (for example: Social Security card, health insurance card or birth certificate) The emergency food pantry follows the USDA TEFAP Income Guidelines. However, if someone is out of work or in an emergency situation the food pantry will assist them. Contact the emergency food pantry at 737-5355 or efp@openpantry.org with any questions. |