Rosalia food pantry “closed indefinitely”

The Rosalia Food Pantry last month was unable to have its regular distribution date, and it will not have its regularly scheduled date today either.

“At this moment, it’s closed indefinitely,” said Paige Collins, executive director at Council on Aging in Colfax. “They were unable to figure out what to do for the month of August, and I don’t think they’ve figured out something at this point.”

The Council on Aging is only officially in charge of the Colfax Food Pantry, but it supports and supplies food to 11 other pantries throughout the county, Rosalia included.

Collins said the Rosalia pantry needs volunteers before operations can be resumed.

“Someone in the community has to step up and run it,” she said. “Otherwise, they have to come get their food in Colfax.”

Rosalia Mayor Nan Konishi said it has been difficult to find a location for the pantry.

“The Baptist church no longer felt they were able to house it,” she said. “And we’ve checked with the Catholic church, but they do not have the electrical they would need for the freezer, so we’re still looking.”

Konishi said there are no prospects at this time.

“We’re looking at some other possibilities right now, but don’t really have a firm way to go,” she said. “It’s just kind of up in the air right now.”

Also up in the air, she reported, is the volunteer base for the pantry.

“That’s kind of hanging out there, too,” said Konishi.

Konishi hopes distribution dates can start again in October for Rosalia, but until then, she said she wants to focus on getting the pantry back and improving it.

“It’s a need that’s there for all of our community, and it’s a little bit frustrating, but it also gives us the opportunity to set it up efficiently,” she said.

The option to come to Colfax for food is open to those who use the Rosalia pantry. The Colfax pantry distributes on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at 121 North Main Street.

Rosalia also has a second food pantry, Rosalia Commodities, located at the Methodist Church. Food is distributed here the fourth Wednesday of every month from 9 to 11 a.m. This pantry, however, only distributes government commodities.