GENESEO -- The Geneseo Food Pantry is expanding to fulfill its mission of providing assistance to people in need.
Under the umbrella of the Geneseo Ministerial Association, the Food Pantry currently serves about 200 clients in Atkinson and Geneseo, a figure that has nearly doubled in the last 10 years. Organizers expect that number will continue to grow.
To accommodate that need, the Geneseo Mininsterial Association earlier this year bought property at 550 Dilenbeck Drive that includes a 1,872-square-foot structure that previously housed a convenience store.
The Food Pantry Building Committee now is preparing to launch a fundraising campaign for a 7,000-square-foot addition to the building. Todd and Kay Sieben are chairing the fundraising effort, with a a community breakfast planned for 7:30 a.m. Sept. 24 at St. Malachy’s Church Parish Hall, 595 E. Ogden Ave.. The breakfast is free, with donation baskets on tables.
Mr. Sieben said the architect’s drawing of the proposed addition is expected to be displayed at the breakfast. The fundraising effort also plans to announce a goal. Contributions can be mailed to the Geneseo Food Pantry, P.O. Box 324, Geneseo, IL 61254, with “building fund” written in the memo line.
The group plans to break ground for the addition next spring. The building committee includes Chuck Kibler and Gene Stees.
The Rev. Michael Pakula, of St. Malachy's Church, president of the Food Pantry board, said the addition "will be a good, but simple building.” The proposed structure would be entirely on one level, said Food Pantry director Jolynn Kitterman.
"It also will have a lot of storage and we will be able to expand our clothing and food areas,” she said, adding the building will be handicap accessible. "We now carry items from the basement and from the second floor to the main floor for our clients.”
The current Food Pantry, at 217 N. Russell St., was built in the mid-1920s. St. Malachy’s Church bought it as a convent for nuns before it became a Christian Education Center for the church when it also was on North Russell Street. The church now is on East Ogden Avenue.
The Food Pantry moved into the former Christian Education Center building in 1989.
"Storage space is inadequate for the amount of donations received, and clothing rooms are not accessible to clients with disabilities,” Mrs. Kitterman said. “At present, we have to turn down some offers of larger quantities of food because of inadequate refrigeration and freezer space."
Meat bundles must be carried to and from basement freezers, she said, a hazardous routine on the narrow staircase.
“The Christian mission of the Food Pantry is to provide food, clothing and short-term emergency assistance for families and individuals living in Geneseo and Atkinson zip codes areas,” she said. “We are not able to efficiently serve our clients in our present location.”
