MANCELONA -- An Antrim county food pantry and resale shop that helps hundreds of needy families every month is hoping to expand but needs the communities help to make it happen.
The Community Lighthouse is a non-profit in Mancelona and is operated on a volunteer basis. It services between 400 and 900 families a month, providing people with food and low-cost clothing.
Right now, they share a small space with the Mancelona Laundromat but say they want to expand to the old Mavrick Metal Stamping Inc. building, that was donated to them. This would allow the Community Lighthouse to better serve the growing demand in the area.
But the location desperately needs renovations and Director of the non-profit Patricia Milligan says they need all the help they can get to pay for the construction. Milligan says they need the following: new roof, electric, new furnace, new walls, new ceilings, bathrooms, driveway, landscaping, and freezers and fridges to keep food.
Milligan says the building has been broken into recently and they also are in dire need of plywood to help secure the building until the renovations can be made.
Right now all the food distributed by the community lighthouse is purchased with the money made from the resale shop and donations.
So they're also looking for someone to teach them how to apply for grants so that they can secure more financial-backing to keep the shelves stocked.
If you are interested in donating money, your time, food, clothing or anything else you can contact the Community Lighthouse at (231) 587-9967.
You can also send monetary donations to the Community Lighthouse at P.O. Box 456, Mancelona, MI 49659.
For more information you can check out the Community Lighthouse Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.
