Finleyville Food Pantry finds new home
Paul Paterra
Once it鈥檚 operational again at its new location in Monongahela, Finleyville Food Pantry will be open for distributions from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Finleyville Food Pantry accepted donations at its new location Wednesday. Among the items donated is dog food.
Paul Paterra
Some of the food items donated to the Finleyville Food Pantry
The new location of the Finleyville Food Pantry, 406 Chess St. in Monongahela
Canned goods donated to the Finleyville Food Pantry's new Monongahela location聽
Pat Trumpie, director of the Finleyville Food Pantry, in a file photo
It didn鈥檛 take long for the Finleyville Food Pantry to find a new home.
The pantry, which closed March 18 after four years at First Presbyterian Church, will be setting up shop at 406 Chess St. in Monongahela behind Rabe鈥檚 Trading Post.
The move was necessary after the food pantry received an eviction notice to leave the church at 3595 Washington Ave. in Finleyville.
Pat Trumpie, food pantry director for the last four years, said she explored several options, including other Finleyville churches, but the price was too steep or there wasn鈥檛 space or available parking.
鈥淔inleyville was out of the question,鈥� she said Thursday. 鈥淲e begged and begged and begged Catholic churches and all of the churches to help us and nobody could.鈥�
But the she received a call from Mark Rabe, owner of the Chess Street building.
鈥淗e asked me what I thought of the place, and I said I loved everything,鈥� Trumpie said, adding she was afraid of the price of the rent, which turned out to be $1,500 a month. 鈥淚 told him I鈥檇 definitely take it. It鈥檚 absolutely amazing.鈥�
Rabe said Thursday that it was important for the Finleyville pantry to continue its operation and he had a building available that has been vacant since October.
鈥淪he has helped so many people to survive,鈥� Rabe said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been spreading the word out on our Facebook (page) and putting it out there and sharing with other people. I鈥檓 going to help her in any way that I can.鈥�
Rabe said someone dropped off items with him Thursday to take to the food pantry.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of people in need,鈥� Rabe said. 鈥淭he more we have in town, the more beneficial it鈥檚 going to be for everybody.鈥�
The pantry, which serves 358 families a month, accepted donations Wednesday at the new location, but it will be a little while before it鈥檚 ready for distributions.
Racks have to be rebuilt, tables and chairs have to be acquired and more food is needed.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a ways to go,鈥� Trumpie said. 鈥淚 have all of those racks to fill with canned goods and side dishes. We鈥檙e in the process of getting meat in the freezers. I鈥檓 running here, there and everywhere to get all of this stuff so we can get open. Once we get all of that filled up we can open and it will be less hard to get stuff.鈥�
Trumpie said the hope is to operational by the first or second week of May.
She plans to continue to call upon donors who have helped the pantry in the past.
鈥淭hey told me they will remain loyal to us for as long as we can run it,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e called us and said we鈥檙e ready to go when you are.鈥�
Once the food pantry is operational, distributions will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays and food donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.
鈥淲e are very pleased,鈥� Trumpie said of the new location. 鈥淭hey work with us. They help us. Whatever we need, (Rabe) said, 鈥楩eel at home, this is your place.'鈥�
Anyone interested in helping the food pantry can call 412-566-7300 or email at cardinalsflyby@gmail.com. Cash donations also may be mailed to 415 Main St., New Eagle, Pa., 15067.