Vinnie's Pantry in Neenah held a ribbon cutting Nov. 16, 2023 to celebrate the completion of a major expansion project. PC: Fox 11 Online
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Vinnie’s Pantry held a ribbon cutting Thursday to celebrate a major expansion project completed just in time for the holidays.
St. Vincent de Paul of Neenah/Menasha first launched its food pantry in 2021, operating in a small 1,500-square-foot space inside its thrift store. But after seeing a dramatic increase in need from the community and an inability to keep up with demand, the pantry purchased an empty area next to the retail store location in July and began the remodeling process.
Pantry officials say the new more than 20,000-square-foot space has allowed them to go from serving around 50 families to more than 2,000.
“A lot of people have been really struggling. We all know what it’s like going to the grocery store now to buy groceries. It’s been really, really needed. We’re at about 90 families month, and we’re increasing,” said Director of Operations Jeremy Pingel.
Along with more space for food storage and shopping, the new pantry also features a waiting area separate from the rest of the thrift store, a hygiene pantry and a 40-foot walk-in cooler and freezer.
With Thanksgiving only one week away and Christmas just around the corner, Pingel said the pantry is already gearing up to help make the holiday season better for people in the Neenah-Menasha area.
“One of our local partners came through and funded a bunch of turkeys, so we were able to give out turkeys to the families that needed us. We gave out over 200 turkeys yesterday in preparation for Thanksgiving,” Pingel said.
Vinnie’s Pantry is located at 1425 South Commercial Street in Neenah. Its services are free of charge. Residents of Neenah or Menasha who are in need of the pantry’s assistance or would like to learn more about what it offers are encouraged to call (920) 729-4571.
If you’re interested in making a donation to help fund the $500,000 food and hygiene pantry expansion or would like to volunteer, click here for more information.
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