(Beaver Dam) The Dodge County Food Pantry is growing its reach. The St. Vincent de Paul Store of Dodge County and the Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation have announced they are partnering in an effort to raise $600,000 to expand and renovate the existing pantry.
Officials with the Food Pantry say a 44-foot addition to the existing building, located at 125 Dodge Drive in Beaver Dam, will double the reception and processing areas to meet current as well as future needs. St. Vincent de Paul of Dodge County Director Ben Nelson notes that there is a need for expanded services.
“And also the need for us here at the pantry to actually buy additional food to meet that need is the other driving factor,” says Nelson. “Also, we want to make sure that the people that are coming here and receiving aid from us have a good shopping experience and can select more products that they will use personally in their cooking and in their household.”
Nelson says there has been a 70-percent increase in families served in the past two years and a 76-percent increase in children served. The Dodge County Food Pantry has reported a need for more volunteers as well as additional storage, coolers, and freezers. Nelson says the goal is to begin work on the project next year.
“The board here at St. Vincent de Paul is in the process of signing a contract with U.S. VETS, that did the addition out here for the store…and we are looking to break ground this spring on this project,” says Nelson. “So, we are really hoping to raise this money during the Thanksgiving holiday season…so, we’re very aggressive and we’re very optimistic that we can get the money in place by this spring so that we can have this building operational.”
Nelson says the Dodge County Food Pantry will remain open during construction.
Those interested in supporting the project can stop by the store to drop off a check. Nelson says checks can be made out to the Dodge County Food Pantry Expansion. Click HERE to donate online through the Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation website (scroll down and click on Donate Online). For additional questions call 920-885-3392 or email [email protected].
Click HERE to learn more about the Dodge County Food Pantry.
