New Refrigerator and Freezer Prevent Food Waste at Good Samaritan Pantry

In Lander, residents depend on refrigerated and frozen food from the Good Samaritan Food Pantry—which fills an important gap by providing two bags to tide people over between monthly boxes from the food bank. The food pantry operates without a budget and serves growing numbers as groceries become more expensive, offering unique items the food bank cannot provide. Residents donate food that often needs refrigeration or freezing—like fish sticks and other frozen snacks that can be heated in an oven—and the pantry uses donated funds to purchase butter and yogurt from grocery stores. But the pantry recently lost access to the refrigerator and freezer they had been using for years and without cold storage, these nutritious donations spoil before they can reach families who need them. So the volunteer who runs the pantry reached out to LOR after having worked with the foundation before. LOR’s funding will help purchase an upright freezer and refrigerator, ensuring the pantry can continue storing perishable items including meat, cheese, and yogurt while serving residents two mornings each week.