Laporte Church Launches Food Pantry

The Rev Dr Judith (Judy) Cuthbertson | Laporte Presbyterian Church

“The last three years, I’ve been in a pretty dark place after losing my husband,” Kathy told the congregation.  “But when I heard about the Pantry project, something sparked in me that I can only describe as a passion for this mission.  I have not been this excited about anything in a long time.”  After almost a year of preparation, the Laporte Church Food Pantry will officially open on Wednesday, June 14, from 11:00 – 1:00.  The Laporte community is invited to an Open House on Tuesday, June 13 from 5:00 – 7:00 to explore the pantry and its offerings.  Light food and refreshments will be provided.

For as long as anyone can remember, Laporte Presbyterian Church has supported the Larimer County Food Bank with canned goods and financial donations. Pandemic financial support has been reduced, and many area food pantries have seen increased numbers of clients.  Karen Hunt, the moderator of the Mission Committee, decided the time had come to open a pantry in the Laporte area.  Representatives of the Food Bank were invited to church.  They declared the space was ideal for a pantry and noted that the Laporte area was “underserved” regarding access to Food Bank offerings.  

With guidance from the Food Bank leadership, a team of volunteers began visiting other pantries for information and inspiration.  The process had barely begun before members of the Laporte community began writing checks for the pantry.  An anonymous donor left boxes of food at the door before worship.  A fortuitous connection with the Salvation Army resulted in a donation of two tons of canned and boxed goods, all before the pantry storage space had been built. Pastor Cuthbertson noted that in her many years of ministry, she had often seen projects that struggled to get off the ground.  “Not this time around,” she enthused.  “It seems that the doors are being blown open for this mission!  We just received our first grant for $3,000, and we are not even officially open yet!”

The Laporte Church Food Pantry will be open to all clients every other week:  Second Wednesdays from 11:00 – 1:00 pm and fourth Wednesdays starting June 28 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.   

The team hopes to open every week when the demand arises. In addition, the Lunch Lab of the Larimer County Food Bank will be in the church parking lot from 11:00-11:30 every Wednesday, starting May 31, throughout the summer, serving a full, nutritious lunch for children and youth.  EVIE, the Food Bank’s mobile library, will be at the church on July 19 and August 2 from 11:00 – 11:30.  This partnership between the Food Bank and the church means no one should go hungry in Laporte this summer.