Food pantry touts improvements

The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry has more space and a new way of doing business.

Volunteers will show off both things at an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 11.

About two weeks ago, a 1,500-square-foot storage addition was finished at the building.

It took about a year and $30,000 worth of donations for materials and remodeling, pantry chairman Stan Johnston said. The labor also was donated, he said.

Now, the not-for-profit group has a specific area for storage and another for shopping. Before they were using "every nook and cranny" as storage, Johnston said.

"It helps us out a lot," he said.

The pantry also is changing its distribution system to "client choice." People who come to the pantry now will be able to choose their own items based on the size of their family.

"We used to bag everything according to whatever we wanted to give them," Johnston said. "Sometimes they could use what we gave them, sometimes not."

Those who come to the open house at the food pantry building at 100 Flinn Drive will get a short tour and hear about how the upgrades will help the group.

The food pantry serves 200 families from Batavia Township each month. Sixteen area churches help with donations and volunteer time.

Its hours for distribution are 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. to noon Fridays.

Anyone interested in volunteering can call the group at (630) 879-3784.