McLean County's largest food pantry has outgrown its space.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is moving its food and clothing pantry into the former Holy Trinity Junior High at 705 N. Roosevelt, Bloomington.
The society signaled the start of a $350,000 building renovation on Tuesday with a groundbreaking. Dorothy Deany, vice president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, said the additional space is essential.
“We’ll be able to serve more families and be serve them in a less congested way,” Deany said. “Currently they have to wait outside and we often have zero-degree weather and a west wind blowing.”
The pantry will also have a much larger freezer and cooler to store perishables. The pantry currently operates out of the St. Vincent de Paul parish center at 711 N. Main St.
“We’ve been talking with some of the Catholic parishes here,” Deany said of the fundraising effort. “One reason for this event is to make the wider community aware of what we are doing, the number of people we serve.”
Deany said the pantry serves 1,200 families per month. She said that number has tripled in the last six years.
The new pantry is expected to open next spring.
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