STAR has recently added a new feature to the center – our Community Pantry! Our Community Pantry is a donation-based initiative that provides free essentials to all members of our local community. The motto is, “Take what you need, leave what you can.” This means that anybody that walks through our doors is welcome to utilize the pantry, including but not limited to our STAR members, staff, volunteers, and folks out in our neighborhood. Since the pantry is donation-based, we rely on the generosity of our community members to keep the pantry stocked with goods. Thus, we will be accepting donations for the pantry indefinitely. More information on the donation process can be found later in the article.

The pantry is a physical installment that can be found in the lobby of our center. It is an organized shelf system that is categorized by different foods and necessities. In the pantry, you will find:

• Shelf-stable snacks
• Dry goods like pancake mix, pasta, and rice
• Canned fruits, vegetables, & proteins (like chicken and tuna)
• Soups
• Dental hygiene products 
  • Toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, & hygiene kits
• Personal hygiene products
  • Shampoo & conditioner, body wash & bar soaps, deodorant, razors (by request) lotions, feminine hygiene products (pads, tampons, liners), first aid supplies, & hygiene care kits
• Hobby supplies
  • Yarn & wool, notebooks, craft kits
• Books

We often have a back-up stored supply of goods, as well. So we may have items available that are not readily stocked on our pantry shelves. We encourage folks to reach out to our staff, especially our intern email (intern@starcenterlacrosse.org), to inquire about available items. We also encourage folks that might need additional resources or who are unable to look through the pantry themselves to reach out to us. We are happy to help with getting folks the resources they need, as well as putting together items for pick up. If you are interested in visiting the pantry at a private time, please reach out to intern@starcenterlacrosse.org. We are happy to schedule time for you to visit the Community Pantry.

We are indefinitely accepting donations for the pantry. Please feel free to bring items to the center during hours that we are open (Mon.-Thurs. 8:30am-7pm; Fri. 8:30am-1pm). Please ensure that all goods are non-perishible and not expired or near their expiration date. If you are in doubt about whether or not a donation is accepted, feel free to reach out to us. Below is a non-exhaustive list of items we accept as donations for the pantry:

Written By: Sikora B.