WINNEMUCCA — The Winnemucca Food Bank will continue to operate, despite the loss of funding from the United Way of the Great Basin, as individual members of the community and the Ministerial Association rally to keep the doors open.

Starting July 1, the Ministerial Association will take the Food Bank under their wing, and the Food Bank will operate under the Association’s 501 (3) (c) until they have their own and can apply for grants and pursue other funding avenues.

An anonymous donor has paid the rent on the Bridge St. building for the next three months – though the utilities will still have to be paid.

Gayle Basten, the pastor of the Methodist Church and member of the Ministerial Association, pointed out it was the Ministerial Association who started the Food Bank and it was only appropriate they step in now – especially considering the need in the community.

She commented, “There are poor people, unemployed, under-employed and senior citizens who need food. We would do anything to keep the Food Bank going and our goal is to make sure there’s not one day when that Food Bank is not open.”

For the 12 days the Winnemucca Food Bank was open in May, which did not include Memorial Day, they handed out 6,224 pounds of food to the economically underprivileged.

However, there is less need in the warmer months, as folks spend less of their money on heat they depend less on the Food Bank, so now is really the time for the Food Bank to regroup.

Basten said the Ministerial Association and Winnemucca Food Bank volunteers will be reaching out to the community and industry for assistance while the Food Bank pursues their own 501(3) (c) and can obtain funding.

She said the Food Bank will be run strictly by volunteers with no paid staff.

Many non-profits in the community have lost funding previously provided by the United Way of the Great Basin, whose representatives have had to severely reduce the programs they previously supported due to loss of business/industry partners and a tough economy.

Community members who would like to assist the Winnemucca Food Bank during this time of transition may send donations to:

The Ministerial Association

PO Box 93

Winnemucca, Nevada 89446