Displaced six months ago following the return of the former Davol School back to the City of Fall River, the Gates of Hope Food Bank has a new home in Fall River in the Flint Neighborhood.
The Flint Neighborhood Association purchased the Davol School in 2014 for just over $5,000. The organization planned to repair the building and use it as a community center. Under the agreement with the city, if the property was not rehabilitated, the city could retain ownership, which it did last September. The move displaced the food pantry which has had its base operation in Fall River for ten years.
Faith Scallion, director of the food bank, says the organization had over a year to plan for a new space, but a lack of funds limited its options.
City councilor Andrew Raposo, who is also the principal at Espirito Santo School on Alden Street, saw an opportunity to see if the church could help by offering up the former feast bandstand.
Since the eviction Gates of Hope was providing mobile food pantry service to the people of Fall River, which included distribution centers in New Bedford and Warren, Rhode Island. Ms. Scallion says with a new headquarters, the fully volunteer organization can resume servicing the 500 or so city residents who rely upon the food bank each month.
The food pantry officially reopened this week welcoming food distribution through appointments only.
