In one month, the newest Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada St. Vincent's Client Choice Pantry fed nearly 7,000 people.
Thursday afternoon, they celebrated the location on 435 Eureka Avenue with a ribbon-cutting and grand opening.
"People are gravitating toward coming to the client choice pantries. Some of that is also just numbers of people that might have already been pantry utilizers but wanted this opportunity to pick out their own food," said Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada CEO Marie Baxter.Â
This pantry is helping lessen food insecurity in the area and does so using a unique model. It feels like a grocery store, but those who take advantage of the program don't have to pay for the goods they leave with.
"There's just a dignity if you're coming in with your children, or maybe you're a senior, and maybe you're feeling a little trepidation about coming to a pantry. When it feels like a grocery store, it's so much more approachable," said Baxter. "And we don't want people to be hungry. We want them to feel comfortable coming in."
How much food each shopper leaves with depends on household size as well as availability.
Next to each section of products is a number representing the amount per person that can be taken. If it's two and it's a family of five, the shopper can take ten of that kind of product.
The pantry is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, and then re-opens from 1 to 3 p.m.
More details on this location and others can be found here:Â Food Pantry in Northern Nevada / Catholic Charities - Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada
