NEWS RELEASE
LITTLE FOOD PANTRIES
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A group of outreach-minded churches are working together to alleviate hunger in Barrie. In collaboration with the Barrie Food Bank, these churches are launching Little Food Pantries. These Pantries are located outside in the community, available to anyone who needs food and anyone who wishes to donate non-perishable food items. Four pilot sites are launching Monday, July 26: Collier Street United Church (Collier & Poyntz), Grace United Church (Grove & Cook), Trinity Anglican Church (Collier & Owen), and Burton Avenue United Church (Burton & William).
This project has been generously supported by two local businesses: Elmvale Home Building Centre and Molded Precision Components of Oro-Medonte.
The Little Food Pantries are small wooden structures with a plexiglass door, mounted on a post to bring the contents off the ground and easy to see. The pantries are not locked but secured with a latch to prevent access by squirrels and other animals. Based on a similar initiative in Toronto, the message to the community is “Take what you need. Give what you can.”
The Barrie Food Bank has developed procedures for appropriate content and safe storage of food in outside locations. During the pilot period of 8 weeks, volunteers of the Food Bank will monitor and replenish the Pantries, after which the churches and the community are invited to assist in the provision of food.
The pilot project launches with a celebration on Monday July 26 at 11:30 a.m. at Grace United Church, 350 Grove St. East in Barrie.
The consortium of churches is planning for as many as 20 Little Food Pantries, to be located across the whole of the Barrie area. If you are interested in this project, and/or would like to host a pantry on your private property, please leave a message for Joan Hill at the office of Trinity Anglican Church, 705 728-2691.
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