The Boykin Food Pantry in Auburn, Alabama is getting ready for expansion and Thanksgiving with new additions and changes.
The pantry is open to the public for walk-ins on Tuesdays from 8-10 a.m. and Thursdays from 2-4 p.m. Scheduled appointments are also available.
The pantry has dry foods like soups, pasta and canned fruits for the public. They also carry drinks and paper products.
Ashley Simpson, manager for community services, discussed why it is important to provide this service.
"What I've seen is a lot of the seniors cannot even go to the store to get water," Simpson said. "By having it here, it's very convenient for them."
Water bottles are high in demand, according to AJ Harris, the director of public relations and compliance for Auburn Housing Authority.
“We don’t think about it but bottled water is a luxury,” Harris said.
They serve three low-income housing properties that are all less than four miles away from the food pantry.
“We want to be a one-stop shop to provide for the community,” Harris said.
According to Feeding America one in eight Americans will face food insecurity in 2021.
The food pantry located on Boykin Avenue is in the process of providing hygienic care, feminine products and laundry detergent.
Harris said they are also looking to hire a part-time employee to manage the daily operations and administer food. This would possibly extend their hours of operation to serve more of the community.
"I'm kind of leaving some stuff because I want somebody to come in and put their own spin on it," Harris said. "Right now, with the food we get from the food bank, we have to count that and weigh it so we have to get to a point where we have a separation so we can track it. Hopefully by the beginning of the next year, we'll be at capacity to take donations."
Sharon Tolbert, CEO of the Auburn Housing Authority said, “When it comes to what we do as a whole, the city of Auburn has been one of our biggest partners."
This Thanksgiving, the Boykin food pantry is partnering with East Alabama food bank to host a farmers market.
Fresh produce, fruit and more will be provided on Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. in the Ridgecrest Community Admin Building at 931 Booker St, Auburn, Alabama 36832.
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Ansley Franco, junior in journalism, is a community writer for The Auburn Plainsman.
