The Food Bank’s Central Pantry will have new hours beginning in the new year. Starting Jan. 2, 2018, the pantry will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. One of the most prominent changes is that the pantry will no longer be open on Mondays.
The director of programs for the Food Bank, Eric Maly, said the change aims to maximize efficiency.
“Juggling a six-day work week was challenging,” Maly said in a news release. “The schedule did not allow for vacation, sick days or time off for personal situations that come up. This will provide more flexibility for staff.”
A survey conducted by the Food Bank concluded that the majority of clients would have no problem adjusting to the new hours.
Central Pantry is the only pantry operated directly by The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri. It is the largest pantry, serving between 10,000 and 12,000 clients every month at no charge, according to Central Pantry’s website.
The most unique aspect of this pantry is that it is set up like a traditional grocery store, which allows clients to select only the items they want and need once a month. Central Pantry includes a special area in the front with produce, bread and other perishable items that clients may visit daily. The organization also operates mobile pantries in the form of refrigerated box trucks that serve 32 counties.