By MADELINE REIDA

Staff writer

Marion County Food Bank closed at noon Monday to move into their new building at the intersection of Main and Cedar Sts.

Around 25 volunteers hauled furniture, boxes, and crates in their own vehicles. A team of eight navigated empty freezers and refrigerators out the back door and onto a trailer with two dollies, a plywood board, and some elbow grease.

The food bank’s very first host was Valley United Methodist Church, where they had one room and one fridge.

“We had a fraction of the food that we have now,” volunteer Kathy Henderson said.

The new building, roughly twice the size of the old building at 1220 E Main St., has two new freezers.

Marion’s food bank is unique among other small food banks in that it offers meat and dairy products, according to Henderson. Venison also is available.

It feeds an average of 125 families from 11 communities in the county weekly. The food is supplied in part by the Wichita food bank and Marion’s community garden.

Fresh vegetables sitting on a rack outside the front door will be free for the taking. To ensure social distancing, patrons can drive through a roundabout to pick up their orders.

The old building, which is owned by the city, will likely be sold according to Gene Winkler. It is on the Marion Advancement Campaign’s agenda.

The food bank will be closed until Monday while everything is moved in.