The Life Center Rainier Food Pantry may be small, but it is far from short on enthusiastic and eager volunteers. Upon arriving, you are likely to see volunteers busily working and guests visiting outside even 90 minutes before the pantry opens. This is because the volunteers here are some of the most welcoming people that you could meet.
Sharon, one of the pantry volunteers, says, “People that come in here are like our family.” She continues to explain that the volunteers and guests have developed close relationships making the work they do there that much more meaningful.
The food pantry is open from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm on Tuesdays during which time they provide food to 50-70 families each day. Despite having such a large clientele, the volunteers “get to know the guests so well that [they] know which are vegan or gluten free, or that prefer certain items,” says Karen, another pantry volunteer. The small intimate space of the food pantry allows volunteers to cater to their guests’ preferences making them feel more comfortable. The food pantry may close at 5:30 pm, but the volunteers always accommodate late arrivals and often reopen their doors in order to make sure that their neighbors are able to receive the food they need.
Starting in 2011, out of the trunk of a car, the Life Center Rainier Food Pantry has been able to expand exponentially. In 2017, the food pantry partnered with Emergency Food Network (EFN) and now receives 100% of their food from EFN. The hope is to eventually expand to an even larger building and gain the capacity to serve even more members of the community.
Their volunteers are committed to providing food to our neighbors in need. Pantry volunteer Steve says, “Everybody is valuable no matter who they are or what they have. They all have something to offer.” Volunteer Vince echoes this and adds, “We are all in this together…I love to eat, so I like to help other people eat.”
Much thanks and gratitude to the amazing volunteers at Life Center Rainier! We would not be able to do what we do without the time and effort that these individuals put in to help feed our Pierce County neighbors.