Providence Food Pantry goes mobile!

For one housing unit in West Terre Haute, Providence Food Pantry has stepped up its game.

After discussions with Providence Housing Corporation, Inc. Director Lynn Holloman, Providence Food Pantry Director Sister Maureen Fallon, SP, agreed to install a mobile food pantry for residents of the senior affordable housing unit.

“A lot of the people who live there do not have vehicles,” Sister Maureen said. “While I was talking with Lynn, she suggested bringing the food over there.”

Food for those in need

Following this discussion, Sister Maureen and her merry band of pantry volunteers created the Mobile Food Pantry. On every third Wednesday of each month, Sister Maureen and others drive to the housing units to deliver food to those in need.

Food delivered includes fresh fruit, meats, vegetables, eggs, milk, pastas and other dry goods.

“This is an all-day project,” Sister Maureen said, adding they begin in the morning by placing food into the vehicles and after a lunch break, head over to Providence Housing Corp. for deliveries.

Sister Maureen said they currently have 21 customers at the housing unit.

“We also provide additional food there in case someone gets hungry for more,” she added. “We leave when people either stop coming or the food runs out.

Future uses

Sister Maureen said with the recent success of the mobile food pantry, there is a possibility they may go to the housing unit twice a month in the near future.

“The gratitude, oh my goodness. [The residents] thank all of us like we’re their long-lost friends,” she said.

Providence Housing Corporation was created following the Congregation’s 1996 General “Possibilities” Chapter. In 2022, the corporation completed its seventh phase of expansion and now has 74 total affordable housing units to offer.

Lynn said more phases are in the works for the facility and there is a waiting list of more than 200 people trying to become residents.