PULASKI (NBC 26) — The Community Pantry of Pulaski is participating in Give BIG Green Bay for the first time, hoping the fundraiser will help raise awareness of the pantry's mission and allow the organization to meet growing needs in the community.
"We have got people who have donated to us that have said, 'I've lived in Pulaski for 30 years. I never knew we had a pantry,'" pantry director Mark Heck mentioned.
Heck says that joining the fundraiser is an opportunity to grow the pantry's profile.
"It gets our name out there," Heck explained.
Twice a month, the pantry serves about 400 people from three different counties.
Volunteer Amber Gauthier says the work is personal.
"We know these people by name, so you kind of grow a little bit of a relationship with them," Gauthier said.
Heck added that the pantry's mission goes beyond providing food.
"We're all in this together. We're not supporting the poor or the needy. We're supporting our neighbors, our friends," said Heck.
The pantry recently helped a community member with an unexpected need.
"We just helped a gentleman this year get a car battery," Heck recalled.
Meeting another need, the pantry's Christmas Gifts for Kids program served 214 kids last year.
"We didn't have one kid that was turned away," commented Heck.
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The organization also runs a Wrapped in Warmth program, which annually provides winter clothes to children. Gauthier said the community support behind these efforts is what makes it all worthwhile.
"It's really great just seeing everybody come together for everybody else," Gauthier said.
Pantry leaders said with the support they receive from Give Big Green Bay, they're hoping to meet even more needs in the community.
