SHEFFIELD — While Penny Freeman stood outside the old National Guard Armory on Monday waiting on a shipment for the food pantry, she received a call from someone in need of assistance.
She told the caller what they needed to do to get help, hung up, and resumed preparing for the arrival of a load of food and other items.
The councilwoman said she'd already received 53 similar calls, and it was only shortly after noon.
"We have a mixture of people who are seeking assistance," Freeman said. "Most of the people are those who may fall just out of reach of assistance programs. We have elderly community members, as well as single parents, and even some veterans."
Right now, the former Lila Barrett Area Food Pantry is operating out of the old National Guard Armory, and will remain there until the city sells the property.
Freeman said the pantry is now known as the "Meal Barrel Project."
Mayor Ian Sanford said the city has not listed the property yet, but is planning to. Sanford has stated the city would like to sell the property to someone who would open a revenue generating business.
Freeman said the pantry is set up as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.
Food has been donated by individuals, local churches and has been purchased through grants Freeman received. The pantry received a large load of food and other items Monday.
Freeman's grandmother, Ruthie Bailey, said volunteers will make up bags of food to have ready to distribute "in case someone needs something in a hurry."
Packages are also given to people who attend the community meals held at 5 p.m. every Thursday at the Michael Community Center.
"I didn't realize what a big need there was," Bailey said.
She pointed to shelves that will soon have even more canned vegetables, fruit, drinks, powdered drink mix, boxed meals, dry pasta, sauces, snack items and even diapers and toilet paper.
Freeman said they are working on getting fresh food items as well.
Freeman said the project utilizes a website called SEANTracker, formerly known as Charity Tracker, which is used to determine if a person is already receiving a specific type of public assistance.
Sanford pointed out that Sheffield Hardware owner Grant Copeland provided a high-capacity forklift to remove items from the trailer and place them in the armory. He said Copeland and his mother, business owner Laquita Logan, are "very community minded."
