BEREA -- Church Street Ministries moved its food pantry into the Second Mile Shop in October 2018 and the move is working out well, giving clients a chance for one-stop shopping.
The pantry used to be located in the Williamsport Plaza. It now is housed in the back of the Second Mile Shop, 1480 W. Bagley Road. The consolidation made “economic and efficiency sense,” according to Kaitlin Barick, the executive director of Church Street Ministries.
The pantry is staffed by volunteers under the watchful eye of supervisor Justin Woost. Clients can receive a week’s supply of fresh and canned food once a month. Church Street serves around 1,500 clients a month. That translated into 16,000 people or 192,000 meals in 2018.
This is a choice pantry with shelves and freezers stocked with donations of meat, fresh fruits and vegetables and the usual assortment of canned goods. Donations come from major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Aldi’s and Sheetz plus civic organizations and individuals.
Church Street is a member of the Cleveland Food Bank where Barick said she can purchase large quantities of food at discounted prices. While donations of food from the public is greatly appreciated, cash donations are good, too. “I can buy food from the food bank at much lower prices,” Barick said.
To that end, Church Street is encouraging benefactors to sponsor a shelf in the pantry, for example. Donors can either keep the shelf stocked for a week or a month or longer or donate funds so that the pantry can purchase food to stock the shelf. The donors’ name will be attached to the shelf. Donors also can adopt the Church Street truck or sponsor the pantry itself.
The furniture store portion of Church Street supports the pantry and 100 per cent of the proceeds go back into helping clients. Barick said the Second Mile Shop donated furniture and clothing to 400 families last year. She recalled one family who had sold their kitchen furniture to buy food. Church Street gave them a table so they could have Thanksgiving dinner with some dignity.
“We touch so many lives,” Barick said.
The Food Pantry is open noon – 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Second Mile Shop is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Call 440-239-0549.
