The Food Pantry of Sandy Mush Community Center
Each year, Food Lion Feeds Foundation hosts their Great Pantry Makeover. The Makeover is an opportunity for Food Lion to assist a food pantry near one of their store locations through financial, volunteer and food support. This year, one of the many recipients included our partner, Sandy Mush Food Pantry (SMFP).
Located in Leicester, NC, SMFP has been a partner of MANNA’s since March of 2017. Operated by dedicated volunteers, SMFP provides a wide variety of resources for their clients to bring home, such as meat, milk, eggs, bread, non-perishable foods, drinks, pet food, seasonal produce and personal care items. Throughout the pandemic, SMFP continued to distribute food for their community by switching to a low-contact drive-through distribution method.
Located in the Sandy Mush Community Center, SMFP recently received their first permanent location in the building in the old coal furnace room. According to Jean Barbara, the Director of SMFP, “this new space will be a long-term solution that will guarantee both the sustainability and growth of our program in order to continue serving the needs of our community.” In order to make the space a functional food pantry location, however, they will need to renovate the space.
Thanks to Food Lion’s Great Pantry Makeover, SMFP received financial support that will help significantly with the costs of the necessary work they need to complete to get the space up and running. Furthermore, SMFP received Food Lion gift cards and over 1,800 pounds of canned fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, chili, canned chicken, tuna, spaghetti, flour and cooking oil.
On behalf of the Sandy Mush Food Pantry and all of the people in the Leicester area who will have food on their plates, thank you Food Lion Feeds Foundation!
