Milton Community Food Pantry settles in at interim location

After being displaced from its former home at Goshen Hall on Federal Street, the Milton Community Food Pantry has made a safe landing at its new distribution center in The Water’s Edge church on the corner of Reynolds Road and Route 16.

The pantry was given use of the kitchen space at Water’s Edge in October, after its former home was put up for sale by Goshen United Methodist Church. President Donna Murawski and volunteer Tom DiOrio said the new digs allowed for a more efficient and safer distribution system, with patrons able to circle around the church parking lot and stay in their cars while volunteers bring out boxes of food. 

The pantry holds distributions on the first and third Monday of every month, with boxes including items such as dried milk, canned fruit and vegetables, and canned chicken or tuna. Those boxes come through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program operated through the Food Bank of Delaware. The pantry supplements the distribution with boxes of its own, which include fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and additional canned goods. 

One of the side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the harm done to the food supply chain. In the past, the pantry used to be able to count on excess items donated from Milton Food Lion, bread from local restaurants and chicken from Mountaire Farms. But the pandemic, and the resulting empty shelves, meant that much of the food for distribution had to be purchased by the pantry. 

The pantry has achieved one of its long-term goals, having purchased a building of its own outside Milton. DiOrio and Murawski did not want to say where the building is, so as not to confuse those coming to pick up food. They did say it will be some time before that site is up and running. DiOrio said pantry representatives are due to go before Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission sometime between May and September to get a conditional-use permit in order to operate out of the building. Plus, he said, about $100,000 will need to be spent to renovate the building in preparation for the pantry’s use.

“Even if we get approval, we need to make modifications. We need a pole barn; we need to put in refrigeration; we need to put in a commercial freezer,” DiOrio said. 

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic and moving locations, the pantry was busy in 2021. In its annual report, the MCFP reported 5,000 individuals served, coming from as far north as Dover and as far south as Millsboro. Murawski said the pantry regularly serves about 50 to 60 families with each distribution. 

Murawski said residents of surrounding developments have been helping provide food for the pantry to distribute. Still, she said, the pantry needs volunteers to go pick up food and bring it back to the facility.

“They need to have a large car, or a minivan or an SUV, and be able to carry some of the boxes. I have a few people who volunteer regularly, and I would love to give them a break,” Murawski said. 

For her efforts leading the pantry, Murawski was honored Feb. 24 with the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, which honors Delawareans who volunteer to serve their communities. Murawski was one of 48 individuals to receive an award this year.

“I’ve never gotten anything like that before. I could not have done it without the corps of volunteers we have and the board. It takes a village,” she said. 

Despite the challenges of the past and future, the pantry is committed to continuing to serve the Cape Region.

“We’re here and we’re doing our mission of feeding people,” DiOrio said.

Those looking to donate food to the Milton Community Food Pantry can drop items off at Water’s Edge between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturdays. Special drop-off times can be arranged by calling 302-278-9557. Those interested in making monetary donations can send a check to P.O. Box 84, Milton, DE 19968 or donate through the pantry’s website at miltonpantry.org.