St. Vincent de Paul relocates food pantry to former Scoops building

MARINETTE — This building is a big deal.

St. Vincent de Paul is moving its food pantry to the former Scoops Sports Cafe building on Cleveland Avenue. It was a long time coming, said Ashley Berken, executive director.

“We have been looking for a larger facility for our food pantry for at least two years,” Berken said.

She said the nonprofit had had an easier time getting food than finding a location with good parking and ample space.

The nonprofit — and the public — are invited to an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new location at 2000 Cleveland Ave.

The pantry is currently in the back of the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, with temporary walls and a need for more privacy between those shopping in the store and those stocking up on food.

During COVID, the nonprofit discontinued its grocery shopping experience altogether. This means people now wait outside the store for their weekly allotment on pickup days.

“They’ll wait for hours and hours,” Berken said.

The expanded square footage of the new building will allow for a waiting room, so people don’t have to risk exposure outside in Wisconsin’s sweltering summers or sub-freezing winters.

It will also include plenty of parking, which was always a problem at the current site, with lines of cars piling up along the busy street. She said her vehicle had been hit, too.

A new location also means that volunteers won’t need to haul the food from the basement up two flights of stairs, which they’re doing now.

With 275,000 pounds of food served in 2022 and 660,000 pounds served in 2023, she said that’s a lot to ask. Still, the demand is there.

“We are, by far, the largest food pantry in Marinette, Menominee and Oconto counties,” Berken said.

She said the food isn’t their biggest obstacle. As a nonprofit, St. Vincent de Paul Society gets free food from businesses, grant funding and programs like Feeding America — often at a discount that the average person cannot get. The biggest expense at the pantry is the overhead.

“Monetary donations get us further than food donations,” Berken said.

Those looking to donate or who feel they don’t have the right food on hand can always donate their time as a volunteer or give money. Of course, Berken said they will always take food donations, as people tend to like the physical gift of donating food.

They also welcome local gardeners and farms to donate any produce available. She said the pantry would take donations at the thrift store until figuring out a new method with the new building.

With the new location, they will bring back in-store browsing.

“Having the experience in a grocery store is very important for your mental health,” Berken said.

The new grocery store shopping experience will also gauge the natural supply and demand of products. They’ll know what produce, meat and dry goods to restock or drop from inventory.

“It helps us maximize our funding — if we’re giving food people aren’t going to eat, that’s not beneficial for our donors or individuals getting the food,” Berken said.

With the change, they’ll also have expanded hours, which she will announce soon, she said. The new location will be more centrally located, but the pantry is moving farther away from low-income housing.

The nonprofit wants to lead programs that get food to someone who can’t make the location. She’s confident that this move will make the trek more safe for residents, she said.

“Our community has always been able to provide us with support,” Berken said.

People can visit svdpmarinette.com for volunteer opportunities.