New food pantry opens at Switchpoint; more help for those in need

ST. GEORGE  A grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new food pantry at Switchpoint Community Resource Center brought volunteers and community members together Wednesday morning in support of those in need.

Food pantry at Switchpoint Community Resources Center, St. George, Utah, Aug. 12, 2015 | Photo by Jessica Tempfer, St. George News
The new food pantry at Switchpoint Community Resources Center offers more room and better food storage conditions, St. George, Utah, Aug. 12, 2015 | Photo by Jessica Tempfer, St. George News

City of St. George Mayor Jon Pike and Switchpoint Executive Director Carol Hollowell both cut the ribbon on the new 4,500 square foot facility.

Located behind Switchpoint, the new facility is much larger than the space the resource center was previously using.

The new building will allow the resource center to serve more people more efficiently, and will allow for proper food storage.

“We built some very large coolers and freezers, walk-in coolers and freezers, so that we can handle the grocery rescue that comes in every day,” Hollowell said. “And it won’t rot, so I’m excited about that.”

Switchpoint has been serving about 1,100 families per month, Hollowell said, and the new facility will allow them to accommodate over 2,500 families per month.

“And more importantly, it’ll allow our clients a better choice of shopping so that we don’t have people taking things that they won’t eat anyways,” Hollowell said. “And then it won’t get thrown away.”

The new pantry brings many benefits, Hollowell said. Families will no longer have to wait in the hot sun for groceries, and the larger building allows clients and staff to maneuver through the building faster. This will make the process of receiving food move more quickly.

“It’s hot out and I feel for those (people),” Hollowell said, “especially seniors who are waiting out in line for over an hour and its 105 degrees.”

The food pantry helps supplement food when food stamps aren’t enough, Johnathan McCauley, a current resident at Switchpoint, said.

“The food is fresh, healthy,” McCauley said, “they’re real helpful here.”

The food pantry is open to the public. Anyone in need of emergency food assistance can visit the pantry Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Those needing the services can shop on different days, depending on the first letter of their last name; for more information, see the weekly schedule.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

 

 

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