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66 2O24–2O2 5 GU I D E to Y E L LOW S P R I NG S Last year, the Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry got a new physical home — but according to those who work to keep it running twice a month, every month, that’s the only thing about the pantry that will change. “We really hope people will continue to come,” pantry Direc - tor Paula Hurwitz told the News The pantry, which has been hosted by the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church for nearly two decades, will now be located at Central Chapel AME Church, 411 S. High St. Just as before, the pantry will be open 2–4 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. Founded two decades ago by the late villager Mary Ann Bebko in her garage, the Food Pantry moved to the Methodist Church in 2005, where it was then managed by villager Patty McAllister. In summer of 2014, the News announced that McAllister would step down Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry — FEEDING THE VILLAGE ▲ The Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry, previously housed in the basement of the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church, has found a new home at Central Chapel AME Church, 411 S. High St. Pictured in front of the new location’s stocked shelves, left to right: The Rev. DeBora Duckett, of Central Chapel AME Church; Pastor Latoya Warren, of Yellow Springs United Methodist Church; Yellow Springs Community Food Pantry Director Paula Hurwitz; and Food Pantry Treasurer Lisa Russell. P H O T O : L A U R E N ‘ C H U C K ’ S H O W S from the position the follow - ing winter, and that the pantry needed a new coordinator. Having read the announcement in the News, Hurwitz said she was intrigued. “So one day I went to the pantry,” Hurwitz said. “I’d never met Patty before, but I intro - duced myself and said, ‘I think this is something I can do.’” Having headed up the Food Pantry for nearly a decade now, Hurwitz just last week received the James A. McKee Association Founders Award for Community Service for her role. Eschew- ing any personal praise during this interview, she credited the pantry’s volunteers — who help with everything from social media to sorting donations to greeting those who use the pantry — and local donors with helping the pantry thrive. “If you ask me why I [work for the pantry], it’s probably just because I can,” Hurwitz said. “And I have a lot of help — we have wonderful volunteers, and the people we serve are delightful. And Yellow Springs is usually a very generous com- munity.” FINDING A NEW HOME Hurwitz, along with YS United Methodist Church’s Pastor Latoya Warren; Central Chapel’s pastor, the Rev. DeBora Duckett; and Central Chapel Trustee Pro Tem Kevin McGruder, showed the News around the space at Central Chapel that now houses the Food Pantry — a bright, airy room at the back of the church. A decade ago, they said, the space was used as the church’s choir room. Later, the room was used for private consultations with medical professionals during the weekly free clinics the church began hosting in 2018; the clinic was shuttered in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. Hurwitz said she’s long envisioned the space at Central Chapel as ideal for the pantry By LAUREN ‘CHUCK’ SHOWS BrotherBear’s Coffees are available at Sunrise Cafe, Tom’s Market, Emporium Wines & Underdog Cafe, Clifton Mill and Calypso Grill. brotherbearscoffee.com 937-244-7851 FREE Yellow Springs Delivery!