Volunteers Remake Food Pantry in Nez Perce County
Episcopal Church of the Nativity serves Nez Perce County in Lewiston, Idaho. They have been serving the community for over 15 years. Two years ago, Episcopal Church Pantry went through a huge restructuring, going from a pre-boxed model in the basement of the church to a “neighbor first” Choice Pantry. The restructuring took about six weeks of hard work and creative problem solving.
Previously food had been stored in several rooms at the church. To convert the pantry they had to move and sort the food, as well as clean and reorganize the spaces they had previously been using. To help with the cleaning process, the Episcopal church members stepped in. These volunteers worked many hours to turn two rooms into a Choice Pantry. Members who were electricians helped move the refrigerators and freezers and change the lighting. They built racking for storage and a clean easy shopping experience for Neighbors to shop the pantry at ease. They also built a community garden for fresh produce in summer and fall. Lastly, the pantry began collecting Food Rescue from Winco to help supplement proteins, bakery items, and snack items.
Recently, Episcopal Church had a Volunteer Appreciation Lunch to thank the 30 + volunteers for all the work they do to make the Choice Pantry run smoothly. The Idaho Foodbank staff were invited to attend this celebration. It is exciting to see all the work that Episcopal Church Pantry has accomplished over the last few years and how the volunteers help each week to serve Lewiston and the surrounding communities. This pantry’s leadership has made leaps and bounds in making the Choice Pantry a huge success in the fight against food insecurity.