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Ruby?s Pantry hosts open house

Ruby’s Pantry will host an open house from 2-7pm Friday, April 26, at its warehouse, 717 10th St.

“We want to show off our new building,” said John Roe, Ruby’s Pantry director. “Our volunteers have been working hard since November to move everything from Oborn Street to the new building. Plus, we want to highlight the three other programs that operate out of the Pantry.”

The other programs in the building are Project Backpack, Foundations For Living and ServiceDriven.

Project Backpack is a ministry of Shepherd of the Lakes Church in Waupaca. It currently provides backpacks stuffed with food for 247 children every weekend during the school year.

About 260 volunteers work to fill the backpacks and distribute them to participating children in the Waupaca, Amherst and Weyauwega-Fremont school districts.

“We are very fortunate to be able to join forces with Ruby’s Pantry in helping to combat hunger among children in our local school districts,” said Sally Swanson, outreach coordinator at Shepherd of the Lakes and director of Project Backpack.

Foundations For Living (FFL) a non-profit agency transitional living agency also occupies offices at Ruby’s Pantry.

FFL operates four transitional living houses in Waupaca with capacity to house seven men, three women and one family. FFL also provides case management, goal planning, life skills training and other programming opportunities as well as emotional, social and spiritual support.

“I look forward to meeting people at the open house, sharing what FFL is about, and answering questions they might have,” said Robin Madson, executive director.

ServiceDriven is a new program to Waupaca, but not a new idea.

Developed by Ed O’Brien, and utilized by COTS in Appleton, ServiceDriven’s mission is to get people back to work.

O’Brien seeks to get people working, as well as instill a sense of pride and dignity in their work and themselves.

“These programs at Ruby’s are a partnership unlike any I have experienced,” O’Brien said. “They are a strong team that, together, works to meet the basic needs of the needy in Waupaca County.”

Visitors to the open house on April 26 will tour the pantry, meet the people involved and learn about the work that each program is doing.

In addition, there will be snacks and a chance to win two free Packers tickets, along with other door prizes.

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