The Northeast Community Action Corporation (NECAC) and city of Warrenton are partnering to provide a miniature food pantry box for community members in need of a little food support.
The food …
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The Northeast Community Action Corporation (NECAC) and city of Warrenton are partnering to provide a miniature food pantry box for community members in need of a little food support.
The food box is shaped like a little blue house, mounted on a pole by the west-side parking lot of Warrenton City Hall. It was placed near the city’s mail drop box for ease of access.
NECAC Warren County service coordinator Desiree Antoniou says the social services agency has seen a growing need for food assistance in the community, and wanted to partner with the city government to provide a little more help.
“It’s been a problem since COVID hit,” Antoniou commented. NECAC began offering pre-packaged food last August for clients visiting their office on Main Street, but Antoniou said she was worried about people who need food on late evenings or weekends, when many services aren’t available.
The food box gives NECAC a way to provide food any time of day, in a relatively central location. NECAC staff members check and restock the box on a daily basis.
To be able to place the food box at city hall, NECAC needed Warrenton officials on board with providing the service. When city leaders heard of the need, they were immediately in favor of helping.
“When NECAC approached us for this project, we agreed that there is a need in our community and we offered to help,” said city Director of Operations Brandie Walters. She said city staff built the box in a safe spot that has 24-hour video surveillance to discourage vandalism or tampering. Walters added that city staff will provide any maintenance for the box.
“This will take that burden off NECAC and they can focus more on keeping it filled and the donations that will come in. We were happy to be a part of this project and hope that it will help fulfill a need in our community,” Walters said.
All food donations for the food box need to be provided to the NECAC office on Main Street in Warrenton. NECAC staff verify that all food is properly sealed and not expired before it goes to the box. NECAC also accepts monetary donations to purchase additional food.
“The only thing we ask is we don’t want outdated food. ... That’s just not healthy,” Antoniou said.
To learn more about how you can support NECAC’s food assistance, call Desiree Antoniou at 636-456-8191.
Antoniou said her office has regularly seen five to 10 individuals or families who need food support each week. They try to provide a mix of snacks, food that can be eaten out of a can, and meal items to cook at home. Antoniou said NECAC often gave away all the food they could keep in the office.
“It’s not just for the homeless. It’s for the community in general, because everybody is hurting right now,” Antoniou said.
She commented that NECAC is also working with another organization to plan a second food box on the north side of Warrenton on Old Steinhagen Road. That will provide greater access for people who live north of Interstate 70.
