How Our Food Pantries Reflect Who We Are

Historical Summer 2021 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

To successfully quarantine during the pandemic, we bought lots of groceries and other necessities to minimize our contact with the public.

We hunkered down!

There were those among us who did not have the money to buy a stockpile, because what little money they had was used on paying overdue rent and/or purchasing medicines essential to their health. Those facing food insecurity most often have food pantries keeping them from being hungry or even homeless. Those that regularly came to our neighborhood food pantries during the pandemic knew the volunteers would be there when everything was locked down.

They were right! Pantries have amazingly remained open throughout the pandemic!

If you faced food insecurity for the first time, there were several challenges.

First, you’d have to muster up the strength to ask for help. Second, you would have to figure out where to go hoping you wouldn’t be judged by the fact that you needed help. Be assured that in our community all are received with care and compassion! It’s not common to find three food pantries within a half mile of each other, yet, that is precisely the case in our neighborhood. Grace United Methodist Church on Waterman Blvd., New Cote Brilliante Church of God on Washington Blvd. and Grace and Peace Fellowship on Delmar Blvd. have addressed food insecurity in our area for 20 to 30 plus years.

According to Feeding America, almost 47 million Americans suffer from food insecurity.

In 2016 almost 79,500 people in St. Louis City faced food insecurity and needed help from pantries.

I wanted to know more about who the people were that volunteered and kept these operations going for so long and for so many people during this challenging pandemic.

I contacted each Church, set up telephone interviews with volunteers and eventually met them in person for photographs when we were all vaccinated. So, let me introduce you to

Vanessa Bogaty, Betty Burke, Rozita Mitchell and Michael Schulte!

They are accomplished professionals using their retirement and skills to serve others! Vanessa is the co-director of the pantry at Grace Methodist and grew up in the Skinker-DeBaliviere community and her mother still lives on DeGiverville.

She got married, moved to Richmond Heights and worked for the State of Missouri 20 years with the Commission on Human Rights. Once retired, she began volunteering with the pantry at Grace Methodist, her home church. “My mother always believed that no one should want for food and that we should provide for them. So, it was natural for me to do this work with very nice people including my co-workers and the people we serve.” Betty Burke and Vanessa work together at the Grace Methodist pantry and Vanessa describes Betty as “a force of nature” due to her enthusiasm and hard work at the pantry. Betty was born in Shanghai, China but has been in the USA for most of her life, eventually working in healthcare as a Medical Technician.

She moved to Skinker-DeBaliviere with her family attending St. Roch Catholic Church.

She retired in 2011. Betty joined the pantry because it was close to home and she wanted to serve.

As Betty put it, ““The pantry is a wonderful way to meet great and kind people. I’m even a member of Grace Methodist Women’s Club and continue going to St. Roch!” Rozita Miller attends New Cote Brilliante Church of God and works as volunteer coordinator of the pantry at New Cote Brilliante. Rozita worked as a disability rights advocate, visiting nursing homes to investigate abuse and neglect. “ I look forward to going to the pantry every week.

This past Tuesday was my birthday, even so, I wasn’t going to miss this act of service.” Michael Schulte, attends Grace and Peace Fellowship and has worked in their pantry and women’s homeless shelter for six years. Before retiring he was a professor of Computer Science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. (He completely debunks the idea that computer geeks are not compassionate and people-oriented!) He emphasized “as Christians we are here to serve.

We see those who come to the pantry as our customers not our clients.” After hours of conversations here are the direct voices of these outstanding individuals about their work, their fellow volunteers and our community.

The volunteers are intensely compassionate, dedicated and care about inclusivity.

The Skinker-DeBaliviere community has a reputation for supporting the pantries “The Skinker DeBaliviere community has been very supportive of the pantry!” Rozita, New Cote Brilliante Once a month neighbors living on Westminster Place are encouraged to leave donations at the home of Grady and June Vaughan.

They have graciously taken the lead in giving everyone a convenient way to give to the pantries.

In addition, the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council has an annual food drive throughout our community.

According to Michael Schulte at Grace and Peace Fellowship, “churches in the area that do not have pantries sometimes collect foods and give it to us along with the Boy Scouts and other groups.” After interviewing these wonderful food pantry volunteers, I walked away knowing that the character and compassion of this community is reflected in the success and TLC given by these food pantry volunteers to those in need.

In the words of the volunteers, “They are us.”

Pantry Locations And Schedule

Grace United Methodist: 6199 Waterman Blvd. Every Tuesday from 9:45 AM to 11:45 AM New Cote Brilliante Church of God: 6195 Washington Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112 Every Tuesday from 12 noon to 1:00 PM Grace and Peace Fellowship: 5574 Delmar Blvd. First and third Wednesdays from 1:30 PM to2:30 PM. Fourth Saturdays 11:00 AM to 12 Noon Winter Homeless Shelter (November-April)

Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2021.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Archival transcription note: Source identifies Rozita Mitchell in page one caption and continuation opening, then Rozita Miller in profile paragraph. Both retained without guessing.

Original source: SD_Times2021_06.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 5; PDF page(s) 1, 3.