But the food pantry that has been housed by the First Church of God for 10 years soon will have to find a new home. The congregation, which has hosted services since 1998 at 2856 N. Washington St., voted two months ago to close the church and sell the building.
"I just love everybody so much," said Brenda Birkholz, who manages the Store House with her husband, Roger. "They bring their problems to us. They bring their heartaches to us. We pray about it for them. We're a family.
"We just want somebody kindhearted to step up," she said of her search to find a place for the food pantry.
The church's membership has declined, said Richard Ellis, chairman for the Board of Elders. After being a congregation for 123 years, parishioners will have their last service this Sunday, he said.
"We don't want the community to be sad for us because it is a decision that we made through prayer and with God," he said. "It is truly one that needed to be made.
"The only thing we are sad about is our pantry. If we could just find it a new home, it would just be great."
The church has been sold, but Ellis said he wasn't sure who purchased the building. The food pantry's last day was Wednesday, and they need to be out of the building by the end of May.
"With us closing, we just can't support it anymore," he said, adding it's hard knowing the volunteers work hard and need to find a new space."
Birkholz and her husband took over the Store House's management a year ago, when the food pantry served an average of 38 families a week. Now the weekly number typically exceeds 65 families and often climbs toward 100, she said.
That's because the pantry strives to be orderly while presenting a welcoming atmosphere that is nonjudgmental, Birkholz said. She and her husband put in 40 to 60 hours a week each making sure the pantry is well managed, and other volunteers work hard to keep shelves stocked, Birkholz said.
"We've worked very hard to give that open, nonjudgmental, welcoming kind of feel," Ellis said. "When you are down on your luck, it is super hard to even ask for help, nonetheless be judged for it."
Grocery stores donate food to the pantry.
People lined up sometimes an hour before the pantry opened on Wednesdays, Birkholz said. Clients smiled as they walked in Wednesday, with some telling jokes to entertain each other.
Some tease each other and the volunteers, but they feel like they are part of a family, Hamilton said, adding Birkholz wants to make sure all clients get what they need for their families.
"The people who come in, they know us by name," food pantry volunteer Jewel Schneider said. "They're so thankful for the food. If they want hugs, we give them hugs."
The pantry was named the Agency of the Year by the Fargo-based Great Plains Food Bank, which is a partner of the Store House. The award is given annually to one of 213 Great Plains partners, according to the release.
"The Store House Food Pantry is a critical resource for many struggling with food insecurity in the Grand Forks area, and we are thrilled to name them as our Agency of the Year for 2017," Great Plains CEO Steve Sellent said in a statement, noting the Store House's growth.
The pantry has functioned as a mission of the church and was responsible only for paying utilities, Ellis said. It's working to get its nonprofit status and has reached out to multiple people to find space. But finding a place with low rent is difficult, Birkholz said.
"Part of the issue is, when you run a food pantry, there is not a lot of money to pay for rent," Ellis said. "They would love to reach out and have someone to step forward to help them. They are self-sustaining."
