For the last five years The Little Pantry That Could has provided residents in West Nashville, and surrounding areas, a way to put food on the table.
Every Saturday the food pantry, located in the basement of the West Nashville United Methodist Church, has opened its doors to lend a helping hand.
"When we started five years ago we have ten, or 12, families a week. Now we're at almost 200," said Stacy Downey, the pantry's founder.
Those in need can come into the pantry and take home the food they need to feed their family, with no questions asked.
The non-profit has been housed inside the Charlotte Avenue church, rent-free, since it started. But Downey got news last week that could change everything.
"We just found out they're selling the building," Downey explained. "We'll probably have 30 days, is what we imagine. Not very long to find a place."
Downey would like to keep the pantry in the West Nashville area.
"This is a fairly underserved area, there are just a couple of agencies that are in West Nashville," she said. "We really need to stay in this area because we've spent five years building this family, building this community and that's something that can't be replaced."
Right now Downey, and the pantry's volunteers, do not know what the next few months will hold for them.
"Everything is really week to week. We really just work off faith," said volunteer Eric Cox.
The pantry has served not only the homeless, but also the working poor who have been trying to make ends meet.
"They work with you, you just don't know they're struggling. They come in here and rely on this food, this service, on a weekly basis," according to Cox.
Downey would like to purchase a permanent location for the pantry, but finding a property could prove to be difficult.
"This neighborhood has changed so much, the property values have just gone through the roof. It's made it look impossible on paper, but nothing's impossible," said Downey.
If you can make a donation, or know of a property where the pantry could move, you can contact Downey through the pantry's website by clicking here.
