Agape, one of Warren County’s largest nonprofits fighting hunger and poverty, has moved its food pantry and headquarters to the former American Legion Hall on Highway W in Warrenton.

The Agape food pantry currently serves about 1,600 people per month, said Executive Director Michelle Bernth. Its new location provides more than double the space for food distribution and client services.

The nonprofit began plans to move its operations last year. After purchasing the Legion Hall in December, Agape’s staff, volunteers and contractors have been renovating the building for six months.

Except for work that had to be done by certified professionals, Bernth said the rest of the renovation was accomplished by Agape’s small staff and volunteers working nights and weekends since January.

“The extreme dedication that this team has shown through this process has been really amazing. We take what we do very seriously, and we take our role in the community very seriously,” Bernth said.

The former gathering hall of the Legion building has been converted into Agape’s food distribution center, with an interior walk-in cooler and a freezer added to the back of the building.

Having the larger space custom designed for its new purpose will be a benefit for the food pantry. For one thing, appropriately sized doors to the food storage areas will allow use of pallet jacks. Food previously had to be moved by hand between storage and the distribution center, Bernth explained.

Agape’s food distribution is still being done “curbside” due to COVID-19, with clients picking up monthly boxes of food without having to leave their cars. Bernth said the pantry prefers to allow clients to shop for their own food inside, and plans to resume that model Aug. 1 if no additional restrictions are put in place.

The Legion building’s bar area has been completely transformed into Agape’s new office, where staff now have more room to meet with clients in a comfortable setting.

“The majority of what’s here came from the other building, and we’re just repurposing it in different ways,” Bernth commented.

Agape is doing mass calls to all its regular clients to make sure they’re aware of the location change. The new building is less than 2 miles from Agape’s previous food pantry. Highway W is about a mile west of Walmart on the North Service Road, and Agape is marked by a sign a short distance north of there.

“We work collaboratively with OATS, who bring some of our clients who don’t have transportation,” Bernth said, adding that some clients also carpool to the pantry. Agape has also been exploring more partnerships for transportation, Bernth added.

The Agape Thrift Store on Armory Road has not moved, and is in fact resuming full operating hours as of July 1, Bernth said. It will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Donations to the thrift store are accepted from 9-11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Agape thrift store provides funding for daily operation of the food pantry and other Agape services.

Agape decided to vacate its former headquarters at 713 Powell St. after being informed that the building is in violation of Department of Natural Resources regulations. A previous owner more than 20 years ago extended the building too close to an adjacent city water tower, and last year the extension was ordered to be demolished, Bernth previously told The Record. The demolition was completed last week.