Pat, a Kentwood retiree and community volunteer, said that she and her fellow retirement community residents felt joy the day that Second Harvest Pantry opened its doors in late January.
Pat lives in a retirement community with 46 apartments that is not on a bus line and some residents do not have vehicles. It’s difficult for them to go shopping for food. In the past, Pat would help drive fellow residents to a pantry in another part of town, but she admitted it was a difficult trip, especially in the winter.
With Second Harvest Pantry a three-minute walk away, Pat and her neighbors are benefitting immediately. The pantry is operated by Feeding America West Michigan.
“We do have federal commodities come in, and I think state commodities, too,” she said. “But not everybody can get them because we’re over the limits they have. You can’t always assume that everybody is getting food. This way, it’s so close. It’s just amazing.”
Pat continues to do everything she can to spread the word and the bounty of Second Harvest Pantry. She purchased a collapsible community-use wagon for her neighbors to bring their own groceries back from Second Harvest. She shares food she’s received with fellow residents, printed notices of the opening to place on her community’s bulletin boards, and frequently offers to make the trip with any neighbors interested in going. She also notes that at their community monthly meetings, they now discuss the availability of the resource, which is a big help for residents who may hesitate to ask for rides to shop elsewhere.
Recently, Pat went on a restricted diet. When she looked in her refrigerator, she realized she didn’t have many suitable options for this new diet. Because of Second Harvest Pantry, she was able to get apple sauce, milk, protein powder, strawberries, and her favorite fruit, peaches, to make smoothies.
With Second Harvest Pantry close by, Pat is able to find nutritious food that adheres to her new restricted diet.
“It was a real blessing. I was able to find things that I could eat to be able to satisfy my diet. It just felt like relief. To know that if it’s a really bad winter or a really bad day, at least we can come over and get what we need. That’s a good thing.”
With the help of donors and organizations like the Schreiber Foods Foundation, Kentwood residents like Pat and her neighbors can continue to enjoy the bounty of nutritious and easily accessible food right next door.