Hemet’s community pantry of 60 years is here to stay.
For now.
The nonprofit Valley Community Pantry, an emergency food bank that’s been serving the San Jacinto Valley since 1965, had to end operations two weeks ago, in mid-October, after it received a 30-day eviction notice.
The food pantry was based for the past eight years in an old preschool building behind Trinity Lutheran Church, off Florida Avenue and Columbia Street in east Hemet.
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Valley Community Pantry volunteers in Hemet put together boxes of food donations for clients. The pantry is moving to the city’s Simpson Center in November. (Courtesy of Valley Community Pantry)
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Valley Community Pantry volunteers in Hemet put together boxes of food donations for clients. The pantry is moving to the city’s Simpson Center in November. (Courtesy of Valley Community Pantry)
But at its Tuesday, Oct. 28, meeting, the Hemet City Council voted to keep pantry operations going — at least for the time being — by allowing temporary use of part of the Simpson Center, a city-run community center at 305 E. Devonshire Ave. The arrangement lasts until June 30.
Hemet council members voted unanimously to approve the food bank’s interim location. City officials wrote in a report that the mainly volunteer-run Valley Community Pantry has been a vital resource that delivers a “core public benefit — food security.”
A temporary facilities-use agreement will help bring “access to emergency food assistance for low- and moderate-income households, which supports public health and welfare,” the report states.
Valley Community Pantry Executive Director Jim Lineberger said the organization had already started putting out feelers, and is aiming to find a permanent, new home since the pantry announced its doors at the church would close by the end of October.
After more than a century at its location, the historic Trinity Lutheran Church — one of the oldest Lutheran churches in the region — is handing the keys over to a new congregation, officials announced on social media.
The pantry receives donations from grocery retailers and warehouses in the region, and distributes about 750,000 pounds of food a year, Lineberger said. Its clients across the San Jacinto Valley include low-income families, children, the unemployed and older residents. On a limited basis, the pantry also helps provide emergency shelter, rental assistance and financial aid for utility bills, depending on the available resources.
The pantry will be open Monday through Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, for food distributions to registered and eligible clients in Hemet, San Jacinto, Valle Vista, Gilman Springs, Lakeview and Nuevo. New and returning clients will be processed Fridays.
In addition to food, people can also pick up household items dropped off at the pantry, which are usually donated by Amazon warehouse workers or community members.
The pantry’s community partners include Walmart, Target, WinCo, Sprouts as well as the Hemet and San Jacinto unified school districts, which donate leftover food. Non-perishable donated items also are accepted.
With CalFresh/food stamps benefits about to go dark in November amid the federal government shutdown, two judges ruled Friday, Oct. 31, that the Trump administration must continue to pay for the program, though it’s not clear if it will be funded partially or in full.
Still, food banks, including the Valley Community Pantry face uncertainty and are worried about the potential impact on services — especially on the thousands of families each year who use pantry supplies for supplemental food. Nonprofit dollars to operate and buy supplies, Lineberger said, will certainly be tight.
“There’s going to be more people coming,” he said. “We’re always afraid of not having enough food — we don’t refuse services or deny people, but no matter how many resources or food, it’s still not nearly enough.”
Liz Du Bruille, a former Hemet pantry client who now serves as one of its board members, said the board is excited “to begin this new chapter at the Simpson Center.”
“Finding our new home has been a journey, but it reflects the resilience of this community,” she said. “We’re honored to continue this important work and grateful for everyone who has supported us through this transition.”
As executive director, Lineberger — who eventually plans to retire — said it felt “emotionally and spiritually great” to keep the pantry running for the time being. Lineberger said he gave up a year’s salary to help sustain the operation.
“It’s a relief to know we don’t have to shut it down, and we’ve been working tirelessly,” Lineberger said. “The sad part is that the city may change its mind on rent, so once we get all moved in, we’ll have to meet about where we could go next.”
Lineberger added: “There’s a lot of people in this town with money — and so many vacant buildings here in Hemet — so we hope it touches someone’s heart to give, let us use a building for free.”
The pantry’s website lists a tentative start-up date of Monday, Nov. 10, at the city’s Simpson Center, but with insurance and health inspection needs, Lineberger expects it could take a bit longer to fully reopen. Pantry volunteers have already begun the moving process, he said.
The organization is fundraising to buy new equipment, including commercial refrigerators, and to help with moving expenses.
In the meantime, non-perishable donations are being accepted at the Hemet Public Library, 300 E. Latham Ave., adjacent to the Simpson Center, during library hours.
The public also is invited to help stock the temporary pantry by hosting food drives to help fill shelves. What’s most in need, officials said, are non-perishable items such as canned fruits, canned soups, canned greens and vegetables, refried beans and grocery gift cards.
Families or individuals scrambling for food can receive assistance at soup kitchens, community centers and churches. A resources list is on the Valley Community Pantry’s website and social media accounts.
For information or to donate, call 951-929-1101 or visit vcpcares.org. For donation pick ups, call 951-816-5443.
