TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WFRV) A Northeast Wisconsin food pantry serving the community for 36 years needs your help. As Kris Schuller reports hard economic times along the Lakeshore may force the pantry to close.
Three days a week at Two Rivers/Mishicot Ecumenical Pantry, hungry families find the food they need. But the pantry coordinator fears without long-term financial support from caring donors, her facility will be forced to close by the end of the year.
“We have 397 families that we’re trying to feed and I don’t foresee anything happening unless we get these annual donations coming in,” said Pantry Coordinator Lynn Skarvan.
In operation since 1983 the pantry has long relied on the kindness of area businesses which make annual donations. But Skarvan says over the last 5-7 years several donors have closed their doors.
“Kewaunee nuclear plant, they have closed, Paragon, Hamilton was the last one,” Skarvan said.
The total donations lost – easily tens of thousands of dollars. And now Skarvan is fast using up reserve funds to simply stay open.
“The water and lights, gas, operations, a truck breaks down, wages, anything,” Skarvan said.
While cutting corners where she can.
“I haven’t been able to purchase food for the last three to four months,” she said.
But Skarvan has hope, that by going public, new donors will come forward to keep this pantry open so the needy can be fed.
“I don’t want anyone to go without food and I don’t want to go without a job,” Skarvan said. “But unless we start getting something in, it’s going to be down to that point.”
If you’d like to help the pantry you can send donations to TREP, 1902 22nd Street, Two Rivers, WI 54241.
