Burglars steal food from Storehouse Community Food Pantry

Published 4:02 pm Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Once again the Storehouse Community Food Pantry has fallen victim to burglars.

Bill Mounger, president of the non-profit organization, confirmed that when workers for the pantry arrived Wednesday morning they discovered doors to the food pantry were open and that an outside window was broken.

He said this is at least the third time the pantry had been burglarized.

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Mounger said it looked unlikely that they could have entered through the window, since the space was small.

“But somehow they got inside,” he said. “They took all the hot dogs we had, all the tuna fish and all the meat Kroger gives us and took a wagon we use to carry food out.”

The Storehouse Community Food Pantry is located at the site of the Good Shepherd Center on Cherry Street and Mounger said tapes were being viewed from the Good Shepherd Center’s security cameras.

The theft of these items, Mounger said, would have been heartbreaking in a normal circumstance, but it is even more troubling now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The combination of the two things, of having trouble getting things at the grocery stores we order from and being robbed puts us at risk for how long we stay open,” he said. “Also, it’s hard enough to get volunteers down there with this coronavirus going on. If we can’t get enough supplies in here to distribute, it eventually may make us close. I certainly hope not, but this jeopardizes our ability to stay open when we lose this much food.

“Today was devastating to the loyal volunteers who work so hard to see that those in need are served,” he said.

With the significantly reduced amounts of items, Mounger said he is appealing to the public for help.

 

Items needed include:

  • Jelly
  • Peanut butter
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Canned tomato sauce
  • Canned green beans
  • Canned pork and beans
  • Canned mixed vegetables
  • Canned tuna in water
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned soup
  • Canned meat (ex. Vienna Sausage)
  • Canned meat meal (ex. Ravioli)
  • Ramen Noodles
  • Vegetable oil
  • Jiffy cornbread mix
  • Dried beans
  • Saltine crackers
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Spaghetti noodles
  • Instant oatmeal (individual envelopes)
  • Evaporated milk
  • Macaroni and cheese mix
  • Rice (bag)
  • Grits (individual envelopes)
  • Juice (individual and large plastic bottles)
  • Sugar (small bags)
  • Flour (small bags)
  • Toilet paper
  • Bar soap

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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