Some 450 households in Bates county depend on our local food pantry requiring some precise juggling to make sure that those needs are met each and every month.
In the center ring is Director Renee Bannerman and a very dedicated group who many, volunteer their time.
She relocated here from Denver, Colorado about 8 years ago and holds a degree in non-profit management however, she started “at the back of the building” just like everyone else, sifting through donations at the pantry thrift store and getting them ready to sell. Over time she was asked to replace former director Gayle Fleischer who retired in 2021.
Even with her success as director, Bannerman says she couldn’t do it by herself. “We are so grateful for those who support us, we have some 30 volunteers and many have been here more than 10 years.”
Having a good staff is crucial, says Bannerman as it allows her to dedicate more time to other things, such as overseeing day to day operations as well as stretching dollars as far as they can go.
“10% or less is what we receive in grant money. To operate this 1/2 million dollar business we are constantly making adjustments and working on new ideas.”
It all comes together as the thrift store ‘feeds’ the food pantry in terms of needed income to stay in operation. However, it can be tricky, for example, as USDA contributions, grants and other government assistance is down but local needs continue to go up.
The thrift store has come a long way in terms of quality and quantity of items since its inception nearly 20 years ago.
“When it comes to reselling donations, we concentrate on the best quality and most useful items such as dishes, small household goods and of course clothing” said Bannerman who went on to say that maintaining a steady, precise workflow is key to pulling it all together. The hard work pays off as the thrift store draws not only a lot of local shoppers, but those from as far away as Oklahoma and Arkansas as well.
But there’s more than what meets the eye. A donation shed behind the thrift store serves as a drop off location and everything falls under scrutiny from there. Before going into the building a determination is made to see if the item is worthy of reselling.
“We inspect all the clothing for stains, tears, etc. Everything that passes is washed. Appliances and electronic goods are tested before they are put in the store. It takes time to do all this” she added.
Despite the shear time involved, shoppers are treated to some great deals- jeans at $5, t-shirts $2, socks $1. Considering everything is literally top notch quality, it can rival shopping for the same items at department stores and at the end of the day no one can tell it came from a thrift store.
With that, a lot of items are donated (about 1/3 is usable) with the best of intentions but simply can’t be resold. Hence, a network of recyclers (about 30 tons a year) and other vendors regularly pick up both soft and hard goods that can be used in other markets, lessening the workload for the crew in Butler.
Back on the pantry side, much thought is devoted to a delicate balancing act of providing the most nutritious foods while dealing with a myriad of supply and demand issues. “We try to stick to dried beans, canned meats, canned fruits, nuts, raisins and frozen meats for example, but a lot of time is spent keeping inventory up in terms of getting whatever we can put on the shelves” as Renee explained that a slowing economy exacerbated by dwindling supply chains along with growing need, just complicate matters. While USDA foods are received free of charge, their contributions are way down plus there are no choices- you get what they send. So, the bulk of food for the pantry is purchased from Harvesters which helps insure that consumers receive safe, nutritional foods and while their prices and choices are reasonable, it’s still a huge tab to pay each month.
“Simply” she added “Grants are down. Federal assistance is down. Overall costs are up about 20%” which matches what most of us see as the true average inflation rate.
In our nearly hour long interview with Bannerman it was clear that despite running the smoothest, well oiled machine in Bates county still, more is needed. “We can really use monetary donations. It’s a win-win for anyone whether a single person or business who donates- the money is put to good use and those donating can enjoy a nice deduction at tax time.”
According to the USDA website, about 13% of U.S. households are ‘food insecure’ meaning they have difficulty providing enough food because of a lack of resources. That percentage is spot on in Bates county as the pantry provides for about 2,000 folks in a population of just over 16,000. And it’s very likely the number will continue to go up.
Want to help? Renee and the crew invite everyone to stop by to learn more to discuss how you can make monetary donations which can be processed automatically each month. Volunteers are also needed and more information can be found through their Facebook page, search ‘Pantry Thrift Store’ or email pantrythriftstore.renee@gmail.com. The thrift store is located at 901 S Outer Rd, Butler, MO or call 660-227-6101.
