Eagle Scout project creates new community food pantry
The Rock Springs community has a new food and clothing pantry thanks to the efforts of a local Eagle Scout candidate and the Kingsport Fire Department.
Located in a small park beside Fire Station 7 on Rock Springs Road, the new pantry replaces a smaller “blessing box” established by Christ Fellowship Church five years ago. The new pantry is much larger than the original and contains dry goods, canned food, cereals, diapers and clothes. People are free to drop off items or take them as needed.
Prior to retiring, Kingsport firefighter Shane Warren identified the need for a new food pantry at Fire Station 7 and discussed the matter with Captain Justin Waycaster. Waycaster then contacted Troop 250 about the idea and Matt Munsey used it as his Eagle Scout project.
“They had a smaller food pantry that needed to be rebuilt and they wanted one that was bigger and more stable,” Munsey said. “I saw a need and they needed it, so we got it done.”
Munsey and a number of firefighters from Fire Station 7 designed and built the pantry, which took about 15 hours to complete. Christ Fellowship Church funded the project
The new pantry bears Warren’s name and the door to the original “blessing box” has been incorporated into the building. It hangs inside the pantry and reads – “Give what you can, take what you need!”
“Every man and woman who has worked at this station helped with the project and I’m honored to have my name on (the pantry),” Warren said. “In today’s society to see a young man work that hard it’s very humbling…he did an excellent job.”