Photo by Jess Mancini From left, Jack Reis, Kathy Reis, Rita Rogers and Maggie Webster, volunteers at the food pantry operated by Belpre Area Ministries at 2310 Washington Blvd., pose with a box of items distributed to families. The pantry is open 10-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

BELPRE — An independent food bank operated by the Belpre Area Ministries is helping families in the Belpre and Little Hocking areas.

Located at 2310 Washington Boulevard, the pantry is open on a limited basis for three days a week, said Pastor Rod Brower. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, he said.

“It’s on a first-come, first serve basis,” he said.

The pantry is independently operated by Belpre Area Ministries, Brower said. It depends on contributions from the community and the churches in the association, he said.

Eleven churches of different denominations are in the ministry, Brower said.

“We are a ministry of multiple churches in our community,” he said.

The service area of the food pantry is residents in the Belpre and Little Hocking zip codes, 45714 and 45742, respectively, he said.

A resident can drive their car to the pantry and volunteers will assist them with loading the food, Brower said. The aim is to reduce or eliminate any contact, in keeping with the guidelines and recommendations during the pandemic, he said.

Items in the food boxes, depending on availability, include canned goods, sometimes frozen items and eggs, pastas and other items, he said. Generally, non-perishable food items are included, he said.

Enough food is in the package to sustain a family of four for two or three days, he said.

“We will also help them with vouchers to the Belpre Kroger to provide them with perishable items,” he said.

Food donations also are being accepted, Brower said. The only caveat is the use-by date must not be expired and the items must not be opened, he said.

As for donations, the thrift store at the pantry is closed because of the pandemic, so no clothing donations can be accepted at this time, Brower said.

“People have been very generous in donating food items, and monetarily, too,” said Maggie Webster, a volunteer. “That helps a lot.”

The mailing address for monetary contributions is Belpre Area Ministries, PO Box 101, Belpre, OH 45714, volunteer Rita Rogers said.

The pantry also is supported by the Harvest of Hope in Washington County, she said.

In the first three weeks in March, the pantry assisted 63 families, Rogers said. The average has been nine to 15 families a week, but the pantry helped nine just on Friday morning.

Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.