FAITH Food Pantry (FFP) was founded by the Reverend Joan Horwitt, former rector of St John's Episcopal Church, in June 1983. Always run entirely by volunteers, the pantry has been housed in the basement of St John's, and has offered food - as well as health and beauty items, cleaning supplies, and even pet care items - since that time.St John's Church will be closing at the end of the summer, however, now it is the food pantry's lead organizers who are looking for some immediate temporary help. FFP needs to find a new home by early September.The Future Home'Our Doors Are Still Open'For additional information about the pantry, or suggestions for a long-term, temporary location, contact Lee Paulsen at 203-426-5604.

The food pantry's mission follows what its full name implies: Food Assistance, Immediate Temporary Help.

With the recent announcement that

All food and other donations that have been stocked up, as well as refrigerators and freezers that are used by the pantry, need to be relocated. A permanent solution has been offered by one of the town's churches, but it could take up to a year before that solution can come to fruition. FAITH has provided food for nearly 500,000 meals in its 33 years of service to the community.

Lee Paulsen, longtime president of FAITH Food Pantry, is hoping that a solid solution to the latest challenge for the pantry can be found. She has received suggestions from friends and fellow FFP volunteers, as well as the town's Economic Development Commission, she said. She has a few additional offers to explore, but as of July 19, the answer still eluded her.

"We need an 800-square-foot minimum," said Mrs Paulsen. "Realistically we need about 1,500 square feet, to cover the space that's needed for the freezers and refrigerators. Excess food can be put into a storage unit if needed."

The temporary location must be heated, and have electricity.

There have been suggestions that FFP merge with the Salvation Army Food Pantry, based at Newtown Social Services. Mrs Paulsen does not think that is a good idea.

"Merging would be bad, for a number of reasons," she said. "We have some clients that won't go to the Salvation Army Food Pantry."

FAITH is a grassroots effort, while the Salvation Army pantry, within town offices at 3 Main Street, has government overtones and regulations.

"Some of our clients don't want to deal with that," Mrs Paulsen said.

Merging the two groups would take away options that some of both food pantries' clients currently take advantage of.

"We know that some of our clients go to both food pantries," said Mrs Paulsen. "They need to eat. They need to feed their families.

"If we merge, it's going to take away an option for these people. We can't do that," she said.

So the process of receiving suggestions and scouting locations continues.

The long-term future for FFP is secure, according to Mrs Paulsen. St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church has reached out to Mrs Paulsen and the pantry.

"St Rose has said they will take us in," she said.

Father Monsignor Weiss, senior pastor of the Church Hill Road parish, sees FFP as an important resource for residents.

"I don't think people are aware of how many people need food on a regular basis," he said, July 20.

"Fortunately we have a lot of property," the pastor continued. He has already consulted with the St Rose Parish Council and Finance Council, and talked with leaders within the Diocese, "and everybody is in favor of relocating it here," he said.

"Right now in our church it is the Year of Mercy, and one of the works of mercy is feeding the hungry. People here thought that would be perfect."

Msgr Weiss has promised FFP that a permanent structure will be made available on his parish's property.

"We're going to either put up some kind of structure - we've already talked with people about preconstructed buildings - or we can go with a construction project," he said.

Preconstructed options are already booked through the end of the year, Msgr Weiss has been told.

"If that's going to be here, we're still going to need to lay a foundation, and run utilities," he said. "And if we go from a ground-up construction project, they tell you six to eight months, and that's once all the permits are in shape. We're really far away from that."

Msgr Weiss expects that any temporary location for FAITH Food Pantry is going to be needed for up to a year. That should not be a deterrent, he said.

"The thing about FAITH is, there really are no questions asked" of those who reach out for help, he said. "They don't ask income level, or circumstances. It's truly a church-based service.

"It needs to continue," he added.

Meanwhile, FAITH Food Pantry is still open and operating out of St John's Episcopal Church.

"We're still here," Mrs Paulsen said this week. "Our doors are still open."

St John's Church is at 5 Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook. Residents can visit to access the pantry on Tuesday mornings, between 10 am and noon, or Thursday evenings, between 6 and 7:30. The entry to the pantry is on the building's southern side, from the driveway.

Those visiting will only be asked to show two forms of identification, only to prove that they live within town. Accepted forms include an ID with photo and address, a piece of recent mail, a rent receipt, even a car registration.

"There are no other requirements," Mrs Paulsen said.

Residents can visit FAITH once a month. Volunteers will provide food for one week, planning for three meals per day per family member.

The pantry also continues to accept donations. FAITH is completely funded by donations of food and health items provided by the public, as well as cash donations. Cash donations are used to purchase food and toiletries at local supermarkets. Volunteer shoppers also visit the Connecticut Food Bank, which stretches the money even further.

Donations can be dropped off during the pantry's operating hours. Arrangements will be made if donors need to meet a volunteer during different hours. All donors are asked to check expiration dates before dropping anything off at the pantry. Expired food will not be given to clients.