The moment the wall clock hits 10 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, the line of early birds waiting outside the Loveland LIFE Food Pantry begins coming through the front door. Each person takes a seat as volunteers and clients exchange cheerful greetings. One person hurries forward to get registered and be shopper No. 1. A few minutes later, she and a volunteer push through the swinging doors, grab a cart, and head down the first aisle filled with shelves of groceries.
That scene alone represents the world of change that has happened at LIFE Food Pantry since moving in September to its new location in Shoppers Haven (effectively just a few doors down from their former space). Executive Director Linda Bergholz can’t help smiling as she gives me a tour, eagerly talking about how the new space has transformed the pantry’s ability to serve its local clients.
What problems has the move solved?
We needed more space for storage and inventory because of the increase in the number of people we serve. We have room for more freezers and refrigerators. Another great thing is that we now have a waiting room, too—so people no longer have to wait in their cars or stand outside until it’s their turn to shop, which can be very tough in the extreme heat or cold.
How much more space do you have now?
A lot! This is our third location. From 1988 until 2020, we operated out of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in around 200 square feet. In 2020, we moved to 1485 square feet in a space at the other end of this shopping plaza, but after about six months, it became clear—that wasn’t big enough. This new space, which is four large rooms, has 4900 square feet.
It’s set up like a regular grocery store. What are some of the special features?
Most important is that we are a choice food pantry where people get to make their own selections—rather than receive a prepackaged bag of food. We also have a food sensitivity section for people who need gluten-free or nut-free items. A senior section has bags of specialty products of Ensure and smaller cans of food. And that’s just the start.
Do I see a drugstore section at the back?
Yes, with cold medications, household and personal care items that are donated. It’s lighter because I don’t spend money out of our food budget, except for toilet paper. That’s a necessity for everyone!
What are popular items that are in short supply?
It changes from week to week, and we always put a list of our most urgent needs on Facebook, our website and Instagram. This time of year, spices fly off the shelves. For our clients, spices are expensive, but they like to bake, so things like cinnamon and allspice, even sugar, salt and pepper are necessary. Vanilla is very hard to come by.
What happens in the two large rooms behind the grocery?
That’s where we do all of our intake and store deliveries that come in through the back dock. A short hallway in the corner allows us to restock the freezers and refrigerators through the back, just like they do at Kroger! The other room has prepackaged bags of different kinds—weekend food packages for school kids to take home, bags for our homeless population, and those that our volunteers deliver to our Pantry Pals (clients who are unable to get to the pantry for a variety of reasons, including the elderly, infirm and disabled). We also keep supplies there for our school backpack project.
I imagine the holidays this month are a particularly busy time?
Oh, yes! We already kicked things off before Thanksgiving, but this month, we’ll host our Giving Shop, Dec. 9–10, held at the Masonic Lodge on Lebanon Road—where one member of our registered households can shop for gifts for everyone in the family. Then it gets really busy here at the pantry when people who have registered can come pick up holiday meal bags, which starts Dec. 14. They can get Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza bags, whatever they celebrate.
It must be difficult to see so many people who are struggling. What keeps you going?
I have so many examples … the young woman who came in and announced it was her last visit because she had gotten a job. The little boy who opened his backpack and got so excited when he saw a toothbrush—the first time he’d had his own. We want our clients to have dignity and feel respected … and to get what they need.
LIFEFoodPantry.org | 677 Loveland-Madeira Rd, Loveland | 513.583.8222
“Of all the things in our life we get to choose, we ought to be able to choose what we fuel our bodies with.” — Linda Bergholz