Great Valley Food Pantry seeking donations in anticipation of new space

Jul 20, 2023

Reporter/Editor

The Great Valley Food Pantry is expected to move into the new addition on the righthand side of the town hall in a few weeks, but they’re looking for donations to help fill the space as the need continues to grow.

GREAT VALLEY — The Great Valley Food Pantry is weeks away from being able to occupy its new, larger space at the town hall on Route 219.

But with the need in the community also continuing to grow, pantry organizers are seeking donations of food and other home goods to help fill the shelves.

Since its inception in 2019, the pantry has been set up in the town hall’s common space with limited storage in a back closet and hallway, but quickly outgrew it as the demand increased.

The pantry began with 30 individuals coming for assistance and has grown to 175 individuals as of this summer. The pantry is open four times a month for distribution with recipients limited to two visits per month.

The summer months have been spent building an addition to the town hall, which will provide a 37-by-42-foot area exclusively for the pantry, along with barracks for New York State Troopers, a records storage room and a restroom.

The building itself comes with no tax increase to the residents with funds coming from the federal Build Back Better Act and the town’s sales tax receipts. However, the pantry’s contents and fixtures are up to its organizers to supply through donations.

In 2019, Josh Bower, a Clinical Pastoral Education student at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ellicottville, approached the Great Valley Town Board about the possibility of offering a food pantry to serve individuals beyond those served by the Ellicottville Food Bank.

With that conversation as its roots, charitable donations to its mission and the town’s commitment to space, the Great Valley Food Pantry developed into a much-needed source of food and household products for families from the town of Great Valley, including Kill Buck, and parts of the town of Humphrey.

There are currently 10 volunteers who not only operate the pantry but also pick up food donations from various businesses in Salamanca, Springville, Olean and Orchard Park, as well as from Connecting Community in Action of Salamanca and Saving Grace Outreach, Inc. of Cattaraugus. The volunteers also purchase additional food, with monetary donations, to meet the growing requests.

Saving Grace Outreach is a Christian, not-for-profit, public charity and is currently a fiscal sponsor for the pantry. Contributions to Saving Grace Outreach/Great Valley Food Pantry are specifically for the pantry’s use and are tax deductible.

Looking to the future, pantry officials said a partnership with FeedMore WNY would allow expanded recognition, funding opportunities, advertisement and additional food resources. To be affiliated with FeedMore WNY, the pantry must meet certain standards and criteria with its space, storage and distribution.

The new, larger facility at the Great Valley Town Hall and donated items could help meet the requirements and allow the pantry to pursue this desirable connection.

In addition to regular food and household items, the pantry has received a three-door cooler, a large freezer, folding chairs, a stainless metal table and metal shelves so far.

Items the pantry is still looking for include:

• Stainless steel sink with surrounding work area

• 4 drawers or bins for under-sink storage

• 2 two-tier carts for volunteer use

• 4 shopping carts for clients to use

• 4 six-foot tables

• 10 gallons of primer

• 5 gallons of ceiling paint

• 5 gallons of wall paint

• Painting supplies

Monetary contributions are also welcomed. A tax receipt will be provided.

Food, toiletries and household items may be dropped off at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 6360 Route 242, Ellicottville, from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. A table is set up inside the foyer for donations. No expired dates on food items will be accepted.

Checks may be payable to Saving Grace Outreach/Great Valley Food Pantry, P.O. Box 427, Great Valley, NY 14741.

Contact Pantry Coordinator Jan Benson at (716) 699-2585 to make arrangements to drop off items at the Great Valley Food Pantry and for tax receipts. For more information about the pantry or to volunteer, contact Benson or Maria Barrera at (803) 463-1557.

(Contact editor/reporter Kellen Quigley at [email protected].)

Reporter/Editor

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