Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry remains open to help during COVID-19

Monday, June 29, 2020

The Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry, a part of the local community for decades, remains open to help county residents in need of food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We just want to remind everyone who lives in Putnam County that we’re here to serve you during this and any other time that you are in need of food,” said John Jackman, president of the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry board.

The pantry, located at 309 E. Frankin St. in Greencastle, serves anyone who lives in Putnam County. It is open Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon. Residents need to bring a state-issued ID, or if they don’t have an ID, some proof of residence such as a utility bill. First-time visitors will also be asked for the names and birth dates of all those in their immediate household.

Since becoming associated with the Gleaner’s Food Pantry serving central Indiana, the Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry has increased the amount of food it provides to residents, particularly meat and bread items. Recipients receive a combination of canned foods (vegetables, fruit, soup and baked beans), dry goods (pasta, potatoes, rice), frozen meat, fresh eggs, peanut butter and jelly and bread.

“Unlike other pantries that have moved to a drive-through format, we still ask recipients to come to our door,” Jackman said. “After they show their ID, the pantry’s volunteer staff will place food on a cart and wheel it out the door for them.”

The Putnam County Emergency Food Pantry is funded almost exclusively through the generosity of area churches and individual donations. In addition, through the Gleaner’s partnership, the pantry gets in-kind donations of food from all three local grocery stores: Aldi, Kroger and Walmart.

For additional information, residents can call the food pantry during its business hours (Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon) at 301-4431.

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