Milan Christian Food Pantry
Opened in Nov. 2013
Current board members:
Alice and Rick Dobbeleare
Tina Elliot
Barb Williams
Sheila Nelson
Jody Kerres Coordinator
Al Nordstrom
Rexann Garmoe
Joy Bleuer
Pam Pearson
Pearl Smith The Quad Cities is not immune to hunger. To help meet that need, the Milan Christian Food Pantry opened in November of 2013 when six local Christian congregations received a gr
ant from the Brissman Foundation to rent and equip a building to begin operations. First Presbyterian, St. Ambrose Catholic, St. Matthew Lutheran, Trinity United Methodist, The Bridge Foursquare Gospel and St. Patrick Catholic formed a Not-for-Profit organization directed by a board of directors with 2 members from each congregation. In 2018, the Bridge Foursquare Gospel congregation disbanded. The pantry, which is affiliated with Churches United, served 185 families representing 543 people (192 children) that first month. Since then our numbers have grown. We now average 293 families representing 943 people (357 children) served per month. Food to last for about a week is provided without cost or requirement to those who visit our pantry. The only qualification for using the pantry monthly is that participants need to live within our area of service—Milan, SW Rock Island, and western Rock Island County. We have income guidelines which are posted for clients to see, but we do not attempt to verify a person’s income before they may receive assistance. Participants may come to the pantry once a month unless they have a referral by another agency that verifies that there is need for additional assistance. The businesses, organizations, and citizens of our community, as well as our congregations, have been very generous in their support of our pantry. Our facility in Milan has passed inspection by the County Health Department. We have 10 freezers, 4 refrigerators and shelving to store canned goods, produce, and other non-perishable food. We are a member of River Bend Food Bank. This allows us to purchase low cost foods, meats and produce. We also receive Emergency Food Program distributions from the federal government once per month. Our 501c3 was granted in August 2014. Because we believe it is important to one’s dignity to have basic hygiene items, we make sure to offer things like shampoo and soap, toothpaste and other hygiene items that a family needs. Our congregations take turns operating the pantry on Mondays from 9:00 to 11:00 and Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00. Between those days, volunteers keep the shelves and freezers loaded and things ready to go. All total between the 5 congregations, we have about 100 volunteers. To make sure that we have someone who is on top of things at the pantry, we have a paid coordinator who works 15 hours per month as an independent contractor. She handles all the food ordering and procurement, as well as organizing volunteers from five different congregations.
