New combo freezer-cooler installed at Food Pantry

Sisters of Providence Sister Joseph Fillenwarth has been hard at work for quite some time to raise funds for a new walk-in freezer unit for Providence Food Pantry, 701 W. National Ave., West Terre Haute.

And after five fundraisers during the past year, the combo walk-in freezer and cooler arrived Tuesday morning.

Officials with B&B Foods, of Terre Haute, delivered the walk-in freezer to the facility to the delight of Sister Joseph and volunteers. Later in the day, officials with CR Mechanical, of Indianapolis, installed the 185-by-104.5 unit.

Sister Joseph said refrigerators at the facility were out of date and the pantry was in need of the freezer to help keep food.

“We had no place for produce, milk or meat,” Sister Joseph said. “We didn’t have a place to put them.”

Fundraising for the new unit began in the fall of 2013 and continued through this year. Recently, Sister Joseph and volunteers conducted a rummage sale for the pantry, which netted $800.

However, after the rummage sale, many West Terre Haute residents began sending in donations, which helped with the purchase.

“The West Terre Haute community became more aware of the need,” Sister Joseph said. “So others gave donations. Now, we can provide food that we couldn’t before.”

Sister Joseph said the remaining refrigerators the pantry will no longer be using will be sold or given to other pantries in the area.

She added the pantry is preparing to take the necessary steps to raise funds for a new handicap-accessible restroom and a kitchenette.

“We always need money for food,” she added. “Everything has gone up sky-high. Everyone knows what a gallon of milk costs.”

Sponsors of the food pantry include The Helping Hands, First Assembly of God Church, Bethany United Church of Christ, Bethesda United Methodist Church, Christ United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church, Smith Park United Methodist Church, St. Mark’s United Church of Christ, St. Mary’s Village Parish, Trinity Church, Sisters of Providence and West Terre Haute IGA.
Pantry hours are 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., every Thursday.

For further information, call Sister Joseph at 812-535-2544 or email jfillenwarth@spsmw.org.