The Rotary Club of Jacksonville recently relocated its Community Cupboard, a micro pantry that provides needed staples for those in need in the Jacksonville community. It is now located at the Morgan County Housing Authority office, 211 South Fayette.

Anyone interested in accessing groceries from the cupboard can come to the Morgan County Housing Authority from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is no paperwork to complete. The Cupboard is restocked using funding provided by the Rotary Club and Midwest Youth Services. Additional non-perishable food items are donated by community members. Midwest Youth Services provides volunteers to help to keep the Cupboard stocked.

Arin Vick, Midwest Youth Services Program Coordinator, said, “Youth volunteers from Midwest Youth Services hand out flyers at the Hy-Vee entrance weekly. The flyers list items needed for the Community Cupboard. Shoppers are encouraged to purchase items from the list to donate. Items are collected by students at the exit of Hy-Vee after shoppers are finished.”

Anyone interested in contributing non-perishable food items should contact Midwest Youth Services at 217-245-6000.

Funding to construct and stock the mobile pantry was provided by a Rotary District 6460 grant in 2020. The grant was written to meet one of Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus, Child and Maternal Health. The Rotary Club of Jacksonville is proud to partner with Morgan County Housing Authority, Midwest Youth Services, and Jacksonville Hy-Vee on the project.

The Community Cupboard was built by the “Girls in the Garage,” a local group of friends who enjoy doing home improvement projects together and many of whom are Rotarians. The group’s members include Lori Hartz, Tammy Holloway, Anne Jackson, Lisa Kluge, Daphne Spradlin, Judy Tighe, and Barb Whalen. Jeff DeGeal donated some of the materials used to construct the Community Cupboard.

Pictured from left to right: Jayme Michel (HyVee District Store Director), Arin Vick (Midwest Youth Services Program Coordinator), Rotarian Cathy Jo Littleton-Wahl (Past President, Rotary Club of Jacksonville), Rotarian Alberta Robinson (NAACP President), Rotarian Jim McClarey (Pastor, State Street Ministry), Melissa Marsh (Morgan County Housing Authority Executive Director).