The Finleyville Food Pantry has found a new home in Monongahela.

The pantry has been closed since March 18 when the organization held its last distribution at its former location after being displaced by the rising cost of rent. An eviction notice forced their hand to move.

Director Pat Trumpie said the church where the pantry had formerly been located raised its rent over the years, jumping from $360 to more than $500, and then to $1,200 for 2023.

Trumpie said the organization paid its 2023 rent in full, but then shortly after received a notice instructing them they had to leave the property by April 30.

“It just wasn’t enough I guess,” Trumpie said. “They told us to leave, and we did.” After taking a look at several different options, Trumpie said they found a new home at 406 Chess St. in Monongahela behind Rabe’s Trading Post.

“We tried to stay in Finleyville, but everything we looked at was over $3,000, which was just impossible,” Trumpie said.

FOOD PANTRY • A4 FROM A1 Rabe’s reached out to the food pantry, and Trumpie said they have been great to work with as the organization prepares for its first donation drive at its new location, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.

Trumpie and others, including long-time volunteer Anna Magill, have been working for the past few weeks to get everything set up.

“We took everything that we owned with us,” Trumpie said. “And we owned everything except the tables and chairs. We have our freezers, refrigerators — we have received a few donations so far, but as far as stocking the shelves and the coolers go we will be starting from scratch.” The pantry is in need of all donations including canned and boxed soups, tuna, canned meats, baked beans, canned fruit, carrots, pasta, condiments, sauce, macaroni and cheese, side dishes (rice, Hamburger Helper, Knorr sides, etc.), peanut butter, jelly, snacks, egg noodles, syrup, paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, Kleenex), hand soap, dish soap, laundry soap, baby wipes and diapers and other personal hygiene products. Produce, meat, fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, breads and cheese are also accepted.

“We’re starting over little by little,” Trumpie said.

As a nonprofit organization, the food pantry operates solely on donations.

Trumpie said the pantry formerly had beneficiaries who she hopes still decide to help once they learn the organization is back in operation.

“I am hoping they come back once they realize we are still here,” Trumpie said.

“We have a few things, but it is going to take a few weeks before we are up and running again,” Magill said. “We don’t have a definite date yet because we still have some work to do, but I would say we should be back to our weekly distributions hopefully within a month.”

“We’re just really thankful to everyone who has helped us in the past and everyone who is helping us now as we continue to work to get restarted. We really appreciate it.”

In 2019, the pantry broke off from the Greater Washington County Food Bank to operate as the Finleyville Food Pantry.

While pantry has a new address, the name will remain the same.

“That’s how people know us, it is how we are recognized by the IRS, so our name is not going to change,” Trumpie said. “We’re also only a few miles down the road.”

After becoming its own entity, the pantry served about 75 families. Now it aids about 400 families each month across Washington County.

With its new location being on a bus line, Trumpie is hopeful the organization will be even more accessible to residents than it was before. “We are planning to be there long term,” she said. “They (Rabe’s) are wonderful people, Christian people and they have been so willing to help. That’s what it’s about, working together to help.”

Once the organization is ready, regular distributions will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

In the meantime, food donations will be accepted each Wednesday at the location from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning today.

Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can call 412-566-7300.