HANCOCK — Two Food Lion officials found themselves on the floor Thursday morning, assembling a shelving unit for a food pantry.
Director of Operations Eric Sword and Hancock store Manager Michael Clark were among a dozen Food Lion volunteers who turned out to finish a renovation of the Interfaith Service Coalition pantry in Hancock.
"They are doing a super makeover, including a brand-new commercial freezer, new flooring has been installed, we have extended the room by four feet, so they will be painting and then cleaning up, assembling new heavy-duty industrial shelving and then restocking it. Food Lion also is generously donating a pallet of food to restock," said Debbie Cohill, the coalition's executive director.
The coalition is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, she said. She estimated that the food pantry has not been updated for about 15 years.
"So this is big. This is really big," she said. "It's going to be bright and pretty and workable."
The company is performing more than $202,000 in major renovations to five pantries within its 10-state area. In addition to the Hancock pantry, the company led renovations efforts at pantries in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; Norfolk, Va.; and Conway, S.C.
Cohill said Hancock's pantry was nominated by a Food Lion employee, Travis Walters, who saw the impact of the group's efforts.
"We have three of four different food programs going on at all times," Cohill said.
The pantry is a critical part of the coalition's work, according to Cohill and the Rev. F. Allan Weatherholt Jr., president of the coalition's board.
"One of our biggest missions through the years has been to provide food to the hungry. ... And the food pantry certainly has needed some attention and some improvement and some expansion."
He said Food Lion has been a generous supporter of the coalition since the company opened the Hancock store about two years ago.
Food Lion plans what it calls "The Great Pantry Makeover" in conjunction with Feeding America's Hunger Action Month. In addition, through its hunger relief initiative Food Lion Feeds, associates will restock 105 smaller feeding agencies to positively impact children, veterans and seniors who are facing food insecurity issues.
This is the fifth year for the pantry makeover effort.
“Giving back to our communities is part of who we are at Food Lion and something we care deeply about," Emma Inman, director of external communications and community relations for Food Lion, said in a news release.
In the Hancock pantry Thursday, Sword echoed that sentiment. He said his director of operations responsibilities include parts of Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.
"We're very excited to be able to support this community," he said.
"We understand the need is great in many of our communities, including Hancock."
