Rosalia pantry resurrected

Volunteers pause for a picture Oct. 19 at the re-opening of the Rosalia Food Pantry at the Baptist Church. Among the volunteers pictured are Rosalia Mayor Nan Konishi, Father Mike Savelesky of Holy Rosary Parish and Deacon Rick Jones of the Baptist church, all who were leaders in the effort to bring the pantry back to the community.

That night the Rosalia pantry distributed food and commodities to 20 families and 59 individuals.

The pantry discontinued operation in August 2016 with no idea if it would be able to open again. At the time it struggled with having volunteers and covering the cost of electricity to run the freezers. With the new influx of volunteers and financial assistance from Father Mike and the Catholic church, the pantry is again able to serve the community.

“I am ecstatic,” said Paige Collins, executive director at the Council on Aging and Human Services which supports and supplies food and commodities to Rosalia and other rural pantries. “I know there is a deep need in Rosalia for our food pantry and I know that some of those folks have been coming down to Colfax, but many cannot afford the gas or they don't have transportation. So, many of them are going without, which is just not okay. I'm happy that Rosalia came through as a community, and we look forward to keeping them stocked up.”