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Finleyville Food Pantry finds new home

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Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

Finleyville Food Pantry will be open for distributions from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays starting May 13.

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Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

Finleyville Food Pantry accepted donations at its new location Wednesday. Among the items donated is dog food.

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Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

Some of the food items donated to the Finleyville Food Pantry

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The new location of the Finleyville Food Pantry, 406 Chess St. in Monongahela

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Canned goods donated to the Finleyville Food Pantry's new Monongahela location 

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Pat Trumpie, director of the Finleyville Food Pantry, in a file photo

It didn’t take long for the Finleyville Food Pantry to find a new home.

The pantry, which closed March 18 after four years at First Presbyterian Church, will be setting up shop at 406 Chess St. in Monongahela behind Rabe’s Trading Post.

The move was necessary after the food pantry received an eviction notice to leave the church at 3595 Washington Ave. in Finleyville.

Pat Trumpie, food pantry director for the last four years, said she explored several options, including other Finleyville churches, but the price was too steep or there wasn’t space or available parking.

“Finleyville was out of the question,” she said Thursday. “We begged and begged and begged Catholic churches and all of the churches to help us and nobody could.”

But the she received a call from Mark Rabe, owner of the Chess Street building.

“He asked me what I thought of the place, and I said I loved everything,” Trumpie said, adding she was afraid of the price of the rent, which turned out to be $1,500 a month. “I told him I’d definitely take it. It’s absolutely amazing.”

Rabe said Thursday that it was important for the Finleyville pantry to continue its operation and he had a building available that has been vacant since October.

“She has helped so many people to survive,” Rabe said. “We’ve been spreading the word out on our Facebook (page) and putting it out there and sharing with other people. I’m going to help her in any way that I can.”

Rabe said someone dropped off items with him Thursday to take to the food pantry.

“There’s a lot of people in need,” Rabe said. “The more we have in town, the more beneficial it’s going to be for everybody.”

The pantry, which serves 358 families a month, accepted donations Wednesday at the new location, but it will be a little while before it’s ready for distributions.

Racks have to be rebuilt, tables and chairs have to be acquired and more food is needed.

“We’ve got a ways to go,” Trumpie said. “I have all of those racks to fill with canned goods and side dishes. We’re in the process of getting meat in the freezers. I’m running here, there and everywhere to get all of this stuff so we can get open. Once we get all of that filled up we can open and it will be less hard to get stuff.”

Trumpie said the hope is to operational by the first or second week of May.

She plans to continue to call upon donors who have helped the pantry in the past.

“They told me they will remain loyal to us for as long as we can run it,” she said. “They’ve called us and said we’re ready to go when you are.”

Once the food pantry is operational, distributions will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays and food donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.

“We are very pleased,” Trumpie said of the new location. “They work with us. They help us. Whatever we need, (Rabe) said, ‘Feel at home, this is your place.'”

Anyone interested in helping the food pantry can call 412-566-7300 or email at cardinalsflyby@gmail.com. Cash donations also may be mailed to 415 Main St., New Eagle, Pa., 15067.

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