It’s been approximately one month since Waynesboro City Council gave its approval to the LIFEworks Project to proceed with purchasing property for its food pantry.
Wasting no time, on Monday, the nonprofit formally purchased 505 N. Winchester Ave., a location which has served as the home of the River City Bread Basket.
The social media page for the nonprofit acknowledged the achievement and said with the purchase, the food pantry “will continue to thrive and serve this community for years to come.”
The 1,500-square-foot building was owned by Christ Tabernacle Church of God and was purchased for approximately $140,000, a feat that has been more than a year in the making.
“I think after the first year, I personally felt this was the right place to be in terms of the city and where the greatest need exists,” A.J. Young, the director of outreach, told AFP. “And so, a few of our board members thought the same thing. The more we began to grow where we are now, it became pretty clear to us that this was indeed the right place to be, on the east side of Waynesboro.
“We are actively trying to do something really transformative on that side of Waynesboro. I would hope that the city itself would look at what we are doing as a flagship operation in terms of how we are serving folks who are facing severe food insecurity, and that number continues to rise.”
Food pantry eyes expansion, capital campaign to be launched soon
The River City Bread Basket opened its doors nearly two years ago, on Oct. 7, 2023. They are currently serving approximately 600 people a month which includes mobile distribution to locations in Staunton and Waynesboro.
“I think now that we are cemented in the community, we can start a capital campaign fund to expand the property,” said Young. “The first phase is now having a new mortgage on the property, but now we can have the freedom to do some other things, which is really what we want to do, to be in the community for many years to come.”
The plans for expansion are still in the works though they would like to see it double in size. They have already been working with city planning and zoning departments to find out how they can expand their footprint to Fifth Street and North Delphine.
The goal is to create additional space for community resources and educational classes for community members. The board is currently working to secure an architect to give them some ideas based on the parameters the city gave them. One of the main goals is to have a loading area. Right now, everything comes in and out of the same door. They’d like to have guests use one entrance and then deliveries could use a separate door so it isn’t so chaotic for guests.
‘It takes very little effort to be kind’
While the world is full of people who lack empathy, Young hopes Waynesboro citizens will embrace the food pantry.
“It is very easy to be judgmental when you are not personally impacted by the lack of resources that exist in the community.”
People are struggling, and the millions of people who receive supplemental food assistance are at risk of losing them due to recent actions by the Trump administration.
“It takes very little effort to be kind, and I think that if you have the means, what would it matter if you gave out of your pocket to help someone who is struggling? It is difficult for many families in our area to maintain their standard of living.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re in a particularly red area or blue, there’s always going to be somebody that will push back against simply helping people.
“I am always grateful when I see more people who come to the Bread Basket, who drop things off, that really understand that this is about building community, and that’s what we’re about at the LIFEworks Project. We’re in an age right now where it’s going to take all of us working together to get through what we’re in right now.
“We’re not going to let the challenges in society dampen us, because I think this is why we exist. This is exactly why we exist, and so, I think it’s the right place and the right time.”
Hours, volunteers, donations
The River City Bread Basket is open:
- Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
While the capital campaign hasn’t kicked off yet, donations are still critical to the organization. Young said they still have utilities to pay, insurance, gas for their van and other bills, in addition to the new mortgage payment and eventual expansion.
Donations and volunteers are welcome. Learn more at thelifeworksproject.org/rivercitybreadbasket
Related stories
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Crystal Graham
