The Pantry grew out of the need to assist a few families at Prince of Peace Episcopal Church who needed a little help with groceries. How has the relationship between the church and the Pantry evolved over the years?

The Pantry began when the church secretary, Margaret Shivley, decided we needed to be deliberate about helping people who would occasionally come to the church seeking food assistance. That was several decades ago. Since then, our awareness of the extent of food insecurity in the community has been heightened, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The response was to scale up to meet the need. The growth of the Pantry’s operations required significant funding from new sources, and all of this led to organizational growth. So today, the Pantry has its own identity and really is a co-equal partner in ministry with the church.

What do you wish more people knew about the impact of the Pantry?

I think one of the most important things the Pantry does is to restore people’s dignity, by treating all of our clients with respect and compassion. This approach is not ancillary to offering food assistance! It is the core of what this ministry provides. And giving people a sense of their own worth and dignity is an enduring gift, that lasts even after the food we offer has been consumed.

You could ask our supporters to do one thing this year, what would it be?

I would ask supporters to become true partners in compassion by making recurring gifts of their time and talent and treasure to the work of caring for our neighbors.

We love seeing you stop by the Pantry almost every day. What's something that always makes you smile when you're here?

I am always touched by seeing the interactions between our staff and volunteers and the clients served at the Pantry. There is a little community that forms and re-forms each morning. And to see the way our volunteers reach out with true care and concern is a joy.

What excites you most about the Pantry's future?

I am excited about plans to offer supportive services to those in need, in partnership with other agencies. One of the amazing things about our new building is that it was designed with a view to expanding the scope of services the Pantry provides. Of course, new services require a lot of planning and need the resources to be sustainable, but I’m confident that our staff and committed supporters will want to make the ideas a reality, all for the betterment of the community.

Finish this sentence: "The West Valley Food Pantry is..."

The West Valley Food Pantry is the love of God in action.

And finally, what do you think would hold more food? Noah's Ark or Costco on any given Saturday? Why?

Definitely Noah’s Ark. I feel the Ark is a miraculous thing, like the baskets of leftover food that were taken up after Jesus endlessly multiplied the loaves and fishes. The Pantry is more like a miracle than it is like a warehouse store!