Our Lady's Pantry receives $10,000 grant

Fall 2014:  Our Lady's Food Pantry receives $10,000 grant from the Interfaith Council for food

The Interfaith Council (Nearly New Shop), which has been supporting Our Lady's Pantry, Wimauma, for years, has once again provided the 501(c)(3) non-profit with a generous check for their work — this time for $10,000!  Tom Bullaro and his wife Anita, co-directors of the Pantry, gratefully accepted the check from Elaine Gibbs and Connie Nichols on November 21.

Our Lady's Pantry is supported by countless donations from individuals as well as community groups. Here, Anita and Tom Bullaro accept a generous check from The Interfaith Council (The Nearly New Shop) for $10,000 to buy food for our neighbors.

“The Interfaith Council has long been one of our major supporters, backing us 100 percent,” says Bullaro.

Our Lady's Pantry is associated with Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Migrant Mission.  It makes its home in a classroom on the mission campus.  And while the classroom has served them well for many years, the Pantry now needs more space for food and freezers, due to the increase in the number of people coming for help.

This time last year, about 150 families came for groceries each week.  That number is inching up steadily.  Last Saturday, 216 families came for food.  The expanded Pantry will cost an estimated $150,000.  Construction on a new building is penciled in to begin sometime in 2015, when they have raised the money to proceed.

For now, Bullaro is thankful for the grant for $10,000, which will buy much food for our neighbors in need.

Elaine Gibbs, treasurer of the Interfaith Council, says nine ministries affiliated with the Council work together to choose who receives grants.  Choosing Our Lady's Pantry was easy, she says.  “We know the need.”

“We appreciate anything you can do to help,” says Bullaro.

If you wish to help further with food, kindly make a check out to Our Lady's Pantry — Food, and send it c/o Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Migrant Mission, 16650 U.S. Highway 301 South, Wimauma, Fl. 33598.  

Please visit us at: http://www.OurLadysPantry.com