The Storehouse Community Food Pantry is on the hunt for a new facility.
On April 6, torrential rains brought down a wall to a building owned by Crawford Street United Methodist Church where the food pantry has been housed since 2012, and now due to the structural damage, it looks like the whole building will need to be demolished.
“No formal decision has been made, but if I had to render an opinion, the building would need to come down,” CSUMC buildings and grounds committee chairman Johnny Sanders said.
Bill Mounger, who serves as the president of the board for the food pantry, said CSUMC has kept the nonprofit organization abreast of the situation, but with the latest news from Sanders, it appears that it is time to start looking for a new location.
“They have been doing these studies for a while and each time we get a message the likelihood gets greater,” Mounger said, as to needing to find a new location.
In an email from Sanders to Mounger, Sanders stated that there were still many decisions to be made regarding what to do about the wall collapse and that the church is still waiting on a letter from the attorney representing the church’s insurance carrier regarding coverage.
“We don’t know at this time if we have coverage. However, with or without coverage, we must take action to remedy the dangerous situation that exist with the building in its current condition,” Sanders said, especially since surrounding buildings of the church are also at risk of additional damage if the food pantry building continues to fail.
Sanders said the church is hoping to hear something definitive from the insurance company within the next three or four weeks, but no matter the outcome, whether it is demolition or an extensive repair, the food pantry would still need to relocate.
CSUMC donates the food pantry facility at no charge, since every dollar received by the nonprofit goes directly to the purchasing of food, so in seeking a new location, Mounger said, “Cost is certainly a factor since we are an all-volunteer group.”
Also in looking for a place to go, Mounger said, they would need a place that is centrally located, has adequate parking and is big enough.
The current facility has approximately 1,400-square feet, he said.
Also, the cost of moving would need to be factored in.
“I think we can find people to help us move, but we will also need trucks for the move,” he said.
Mounger said the Church of the Holy Trinity, Episcopal has offered the bottom floor of the building they own where the United Way is housed, but the room is not heated or cooled and has no windows.
“This place (CSUMC) has just been ideal for us,” Mounger said, “And we are very grateful for all the church has done.”
In fiscal year 2017, Mounger said, the Storehouse Community Food Pantry served 4,057 people, which comes to 48,684 meals (three meals a day for four days).
If there is anyone who may own a building or knows of a location that meets the criteria of the food pantry, please call 601-630-2985.
