Food pantry in California looks for a new home

Anyone have a building to lend? From the San Gabriel Tribune, comes this story of a Californian food bank looking for a new home. Writer Amanda Baumfeld explains why the food bank is looking for a new place.

The San Gabriel Unified School District plans to evict an emergency food pantry used by low income families to make way for a fitness center at Del Mar High School, authorities said.

Now, the People for People food pantry must find a new home - and a place to store 70 tons of food. The non-profit organization has inhabited a rent-free warehouse on the campus for the past 10 years.

"The school district has been great; they need their space," said Wathena Morrison , People for People treasurer. "We are just hoping someone can loan us a place for a year or two to give us a chance to find something else."

The school district needs the L-shaped building to proceed with a construction project that will provide additional classrooms and a fitness center for the high school, according to Marla Nadolney , district project manager. About 60 students in grades 9 through 12 attend the tiny high school, according to county records.

The project is being paid for with bond money approved by residents a year ago, Nadolney added.

Although they have until July, People for People is scrambling to find a building before May 9 when the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is held by the Post Office.

The food pantry gets 70 to 90 tons of food as a result of the drive which last them about a year.

"The problem is where are we going to put that food," asked Norene Rand , executive director.