Currently there are 17 food pantries operating in Gratiot County but none that focus solely on personal needs items.
Until now.
The First United Methodist Church of St. Louis has opened a personal needs pantry that's available to any county resident.
"We found that (getting) food was not an issue," pantry co-chair Julie Shimunek said. "You can't use Bridge Cards for that type of stuff."
Members of the church outreach team "decided to take on the challenge," she added.
However, getting enough funding to keep the pantry stacked is also challenging.
The church received a grant from the Gratiot County Community Foundation, along with a foundation donor-directed grant and another from the Harmony Arbor of Gleaners.
"We've also had a couple of bigger donations from the community and the Women's Auxiliary of the VFW also donated," church Secretary Kaittye Oberski said.
The pantry, located in the basement of the church at 116 S. Franklin St., is open every Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. and 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Volunteers from throughout the community, not just the church, work at the pantry, four on each shift.
"We've had a lot of help from the St. Louis Ministerial Association getting the word out about the pantry," Oberski said.
Other local churches have also assisted the new venture, she added.
Among the items available are toothbrushes and toothpaste, hand soap, razors, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, body wash, tampons, pads, toilet paper, facial tissue, paper towels, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream and baby diapers if available.
There are no income requirements but those who use the pantry must be county residents and they are limited to one visit per month.
Anyone interested in getting personal need items from the pantry can sign up on the church website at stlouisfumc@yahoo.com and clicking "Personal Needs Pantry."
"When they come in all they have to bring is an ID," Oberski said.
Since it opened in late June the pantry has been averaging about 20 clients per week.
If funding remains available organizers hope to keep it open year-around.
For more information or to make a donation call the church office at 989-681-3320 or visit its website or Facebook page.
