Fairfield Food Pantry moves to new space with help from MSR

Sep. 19—NEW PARIS — Fairfield Food Pantry will be welcoming guests at a new location this Thursday.

Housed in the old Fairfield Administration Building for the past 20 years, the Fairfield Food Pantry was forced to begin the search for a new home after the administration announced they'd be using the building for something else in the future.

Fairfield Community Schools Superintendent Carrie Cannon explained that about half a year ago, the district made the decision to begin pursuing a health care clinic out of the old administration building for staff. The project is moving along slowly and bids for repair work haven't yet been submitted but the district remains hopeful, and the notice gave the food pantry plenty of time to move on with community support.

Through an agreement with Master Steel Roofing, Fairfield Food Pantry now leases a home at 67493 C.R. 23, New Paris, for $1 per year, to use for storage and for servicing clients of the pantry each Thursday.

"The original idea was to fix it up and use it as a rental property," MSR Chief Operating Officer Travis Miller said. "We have several different values within the company — core values, and we look into the reasons why we're doing something and the reason we do it is to build the Kingdom. This is part of building the Kingdom."

It's a first-time experience for the construction company, located just across the street.

"There's been a lot of excitement over here," he said.

Pantry volunteers finished moving the majority of materials late last week and over the weekend.

"We do more than just food," Fairfield Food Pantry Director Sandi Sizemore said.

As a social worker for nearly 50 years with part of her tenure in the education system, she knows that it takes more than just food to keep people on track.

"I'd have the little cubby holes where you would stash stuff," Sizemore recalled.

At the food pantry, there is clothing and blankets, diapers and baby supplies, books, and more.

"We get to know our clients pretty well," she said. "We try to meet people's needs where they're at."

Community support for the pantry has remained constant and continues.

In 23 years of the pantry, Sizemore said, they've never needed to host a fundraiser.

"The first few years, we just did what people donated and people started donating money and suddenly we had money and it's been amazing," she said. "If we need something, like if kids need new shoes for school, we're able to go get them."

Volunteers have even helped in the food pantry and in moving to the new location. Students from the high school life skills class in previous years have come out to volunteer; Clinton Frame Church helped paint the basement at the new property; varsity football players took a break from practice to move boxes; and New Paris First Brethren Youth Group unboxed and shelved food, among many other supporters.

Fairfield Food Pantry only serves the Fairfield community — Jackson, Benton and Clinton townships — but Sizemore said if someone comes to the pantry who doesn't know that, they will serve them a single time and provide information about the food pantry that will accept their mailing address.

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.