Monroe County Opportunity Program seeks $1 million to expand food warehouse

MONROE — The Monroe County Opportunity Program hopes to raise $1 million to expand its food warehouse.

MCOP recently kicked-off its first capital campaign since 2010-11, when it raised funds to open The Lord's Harvest Food Pantry and to expand the food warehouse on MCOP property, 1140 S. Telegraph Road in Monroe. The current MCOP food warehouse is about 4,200 square feet. Since the opening of The Lord's Harvest Food Pantry in 2012, food delivered to the warehouse has increased annually, creating a need for more storage space, MCOP said.

Last year, MCOP provided 2.7 million pounds of food to Monroe County residents in need. Food is Monroe County's greatest need, MCOP said.

The campaign could run up to 12 months. MCOP hopes to build 6,228 additional feet of space in the warehouse. The warehouse expansion would be in front of the MCOP building, near Telegraph Road.

“The original warehouse was built with MCOP's new office in 2000. The expanded warehouse space was added in conjunction with The Lord's Harvest Pantry in 2012,” said Stephanie Kasprzak, executive director of MCOP and The Opportunity Center.

“It houses all our food, as well as freezers and coolers so that we may offer fresh and healthy items and frozen meats and food, when available,” Kasprzak said. “The added warehouse space will help store additional food. With the pandemic, along with our emphasis on providing fresh and healthy items, more space is needed to accommodate the increased need.”

During the previous capital campaign, $1 million in funds came from the community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. After that work was completed, MCOP went from providing 700,000 pounds of food a year to providing more than 1 million to today's 2.7 million pounds a year, according to a video MCOP made for the campaign.

The video traces the origin of The Lord's Harvest Food Pantry. It features Arnold Metdepenningen, a Ford Motor Co. retiree, who, in 1989, helped start what would become MCOP's food program.

Metdepenningen was volunteering with the then-Monroe County Food Bank. The program quickly grew and eventually got food from Gleaners and local retailers. When the program became too large for one person to manage, Metdepenningen brought it to MCOP.

"It was a natural thing to do. I sure wasn't gong to give it up. It was helping too many people, too many kids. My greatest concern was the kids and the seniors," Metdepenningen said.

Soon, other food programs sprung up around the county. Today, MCOP is involved in many of the food programs operating in Monroe County.

Ed Larkins, chief executive officer of Family Medical Center of Michigan, which has several locations in Monroe County, said the center partnered several years ago with MCOP to open a food pharmacy. Providers refer patients in need of food.

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“Last year we gave out 365,000 pounds of food with help from MCOP. The partnership has been great," Larkins said.

Betty Thomas from the London Township Senior Center said with help from MCOP the center began giving milk to seniors in needs. Today, it runs a full food pantry.

“It started with just some milk for seniors," Thomas said. "From there, it kept going. We started gearing toward people in need, not just seniors. People in need can come in and get what they need.”

To watch the campaign video, visit vimeo.com/956046014?share=copy. To learn more about MCOP's capital campaign, visit link.clover.com/urlshortener/CZQxzr.

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: MCOP hopes to expand food warehouse through capital campaign