[PHOTOSTORY 4: Struggle] Duluth Co-op Food Pantry

 By: Miriam Boston 

Duluth Co-op is a community food pantry that provides food, emergency assistance, and hope to neighbors in need. "Our mission statement is to prevent Hungary and Homelessness," said Executive Director Margy Mclynn.

Pam Tuggle checks on her tablet to see how many people are coming in today. "We usually have over 17,000 people that come to get items," said Tuggle.

Pam Tuggle showing Tim Myers how many people/volunteers coming. "We have to make sure to check in everybody that comes to Duluth Co-op", said Tuggle.

Sign-making sure only volunteers enter beyond this point. They have over 100 volunteers that come to Duluth Co-op to help out.

Shannon Sligar and Sharon Mcleod placing canned goods in the boxes. This area is where we store all our canned food items such as spaghetti, noodles, and etc.

Different boxes of packaged food in the storage area. Different grocery stores such as Kroger, sprouts provide us with food items.

Shannon Sligar is looking at Dayle Abbey grab one of the canned goods from the box. Abbey was showing Sligar how to properly bag the items. 

Sligar places one of the food items in the bag. Abbey was telling Sligar which bag to place the mashed potatoes box.

Sligar grabs one of the canned goods. Sligar just started volunteering at Duluth Co-op; she's a retired elementary school teacher.

Sligar makes sure she places all the correct food items in the bag. The volunteers are provided a specific list to know how many items are placed in each bag.

Charlie Doerlich sorts through the boxes. Doerlich has been volunteering at Duluth Co-op food pantry for many years now.

Perishable food items in the refrigerator. Sometimes we run out of space because we are provided with so much perishable food.

Frozen food items such as chicken, shrimp and etc in the freezer. "Sprouts and Krogers just provided us with this frozen food the other day," said one of the volunteers.

Another area where toiletries and feminine products are stored at in the food pantry. Duluth Co-op is not limited to just food, they provide everyday necessities as well.

Julie Gornall grabs a diaper bag to place in the box. Different churches every month come to Duluth Co-op to volunteer. Gornall is a volunteer from First Presbyterian church.

Gornall places all the toiletries in the correct labeled boxes. Gornall volunteers at Duluth CO-op Wednesday and Friday from 12-2pm

Tim Myers and Bill De Kryger packing up a bag with different food items. They are getting it ready for a client.

Bill De Kryger places one of the bags in the shopping cart. "We double-check that we provided enough items for the client before we hand it off to them," said De Kryger

De Kryger and Myers put the food items in the truck. This amount of food items the cart had was for a family of 4. 

The blue bags with their logos is where they place all the items to give to the clients. Duluth Co-op purpose is to help neighbors in the community in many different ways.