The Rhinelander Area Food Pantry is beginning renovations on its new space. But as WXPR’s Natalie Jablonski reports, it’s still waiting for state approval to move ahead with some structural changes planned for the building.
The Rhinelander food pantry is moving to a larger location on Coon Street, in a building vacated by the natural foods grocery store Golden Harvest.
Food Pantry Manager Jane Motowski says there’s a lot of work to be done to make the space ready.
“We’ve painted some rooms, we’ve scrubbed rooms, we’ve cleaned the freezers, ripped up carpeting. We’ll be putting up shelving and then we’ll be hauling everything, stocking, getting ready to open.”
Other major projects include building a large wall to divide the distribution and storage areas. The food pantry is waiting for state approval to replace the roof – which could come later this week.
Motowski says the new building will be a big improvement over the existing food pantry space.
“Oh I think it will be a lot better, we’re going to have a lot more room for the distribution area. Right now we work in a very small space, that’s very crowded. And right now when they’re waiting, they have to stand in line. We’ll have a room there where they can sit.”
Right now Motowski is hoping to recruit volunteers to help with the projects. Work days are scheduled for the first weekend in September, with more to come.
The food pantry hopes to start operating out of the new building in early October.
