Milton Community Food Pantry to hold groundbreaking ceremony

Milton Community Food Bank will hold a ground breaking ceremony on Tuesday, March 28 at 11 AM (Photo courtesy of Milton Community Food Bank)

The Milton Community Food Pantry (MCFP) is proud to announce the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the construction of its new building, on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at its new home at 12898 Union Street Extended, Milton, Delaware.

“Breaking ground on our new building is an exciting, long anticipated event that will help us better serve families at a time when the need is increasing,” said Donna Murawski, MCFP executive director.

“For almost a decade we have operated out of several different locations, which has made it difficult for us to manage our operations and for our clients to find us. We own the land for our new building, so we’re able to create a modern facility that will help us meet the nutritional needs of Sussex County residents for many years to come.”

The Milton Community Food Pantry is a nonprofit organization that solicits and distributes food that might otherwise go to waste. Since 2014, the Food Pantry has been fighting hunger in Sussex County by providing food to area residents in need.  In 2022, the MCFP served 6,245 individuals, providing food for 75,000 meals, and saw a 27 percent increase in the number of families served. It rescued and distributed 43,000 pounds of fresh food.

The Food Pantry’s mission is “To combat hunger in the Milton area.” MCFP promoted its “New Building Campaign” in November 2022 during a special event with U.S. Senator Tom Carper. He, as well as the Sussex County Council members and municipal officials have all lauded the efforts of the MCFP in fighting hunger in Sussex County.

The new building will include walk-in freezers and refrigerators, ample storage for non-perishable foods, and plenty of space for volunteers to prepare and pack boxes with food. The new location also enables the MCFP to streamline its distribution process for clients who come to the site weekly or bi-weekly to pick up food.

The groundbreaking event, which will feature the usual hard hats and shovels, includes Milton Community Food Pantry Board of Directors, honorable guest and speaker Milton Mayor John Collier, and former MCFP Executive Director Barbara Wright.

MCFP always needs volunteers to help with food rescue, packing and distribution and welcomes monetary donations. Go to www.miltonpantry.org to learn how to get involved.