GRPC's Food Pantry

The GRPC pantry exists to meet the needs of 2-SLGBTQ+ community members. For many reasons, 2-SLGBTQ+ people are disproportionately impacted by all economic policies, lack of a social safety net, and have less access to other existing supports, including other pantries.

Our pantry consists of four "Essential Needs" areas and is designed to center & serve the 2-SLGBTQ+ community members. We recognize that 2-SLGBTQ+ community members, especially those with overlapping identities, are disproportionately impacted by social determinants of health, lack of resources, and social stigma or harm when trying to access resources. Our pantries consist of shelf stable food & fresh options when available to us, a gender affirming clothing closet including items like binders, binder tape, and underwear, hygiene products and other basic needs such as tents/sleeping bags for unhoused folks and make-up for gender affirmation, and last of all harm reduction items such as safer sex supplies, other reproductive health supplies such as menstrual supplies, Plan B, and more, and substance use/HRT supplies (as well as needle drop off site.)

As stated by our friends at the Kent County Food Policy Council "We know that SNAP plays a critical role in reducing poverty by helping families afford groceries, freeing up more of their budgets for other basic needs—like housing, utilities, and medical care. We want to stress that this upcoming hold in SNAP benefits cannot be fixed by emergency food services, no matter how incredible they are. Community programs...simply cannot replace the scale and stability of SNAP." However, this moment demands our collective courage, creativity, and compassion. Together, we can build a food system rooted in justice, dignity, and care for all.

When considering giving to our pantry, we appreciate any monetary donation you have, whether big or small. However, if you can't afford a financial donation, please consider donating shelf-stable foods, as that is our biggest and most pressing need right now. Some things to consider when donating...

Please don't give expired or near-expired food. GRPC's rule is that shelf-stable food needs to be no less than 3 months from expiration.

Please don't give open/used food.

Please don't give home-cooked food (you can do this by offering neighborhood meals instead &/or volunteering with existing groups like @foodnotbombsgr )

Please don't leave food or other donations sitting in the elements - make sure the pantry is open & accepting donations before you go

Please consider foods that are helpful for disabled, chronically sick, & neurodivergent needs, as well as things that unhoused people can carry easily (pop tops are appreciated), gluten-free & vegan options, & kosher & halal options, as well as ethnic variety.

Please verify how much a pantry can manage. We may ask you to bring things in cycles & please understand the need never ends, but the capacity for storage does

You can email us at [email protected] to learn how to support our pantry (or how to access it if you are a 2-SLGBTQ+ community member!).

We accept donations M, Tu, Th, F 10am to 4pm and W 12pm - 4pm.