ADAMA grant helps keep Eston Free Pantry shelves stocked
By Your Southwest Media Group
The Eston Free Pantry received a major boost this spring after being awarded a $5,000 grant through ADAMA Canada's Stomping Grounds community investment initiative. The funding comes at a crucial time for the volunteer-run pantry, which recently relocated to a new home after losing its previous location.
According to pantry volunteer Kelly Knight, the organization was forced to suspend operations at the town library before receiving an unexpected offer from local business owner Brealynn Trarback, who provided unused space next door free of charge. Volunteers quickly cleaned, organized and restocked the new location, allowing the pantry to continue serving local residents.
Representatives from ADAMA Canada and Emerge Ag Solutions present a $5,000 Stomping Grounds grant to the Eston Free Pantry. Pictured, from left, are Haley Tetreault, Kelly Knight, Jaime Smith, an Eston Free Pantry volunteer and Matt Owens. PHOTO COURTESY ADAMA CANADA.
Soon afterward, Eston Economic Development Officer Jaime Smith informed volunteers that a grant application she had submitted to ADAMA Canada had been approved.
"Kelly was surprised and excited when I told her I had applied and we had been approved," Smith said. "Then she asked how much we were getting, and when I told her it was $5,000, that was far beyond what any of us were expecting."
Knight said the funding will provide stability for the pantry's operations.
"When Jaime told me how much, it was just a bit of relief and then I did some quick calculations in my head and I was like, this is going to last us over a year. This is awesome," she said.
The pantry distributes food boxes to as many as a dozen households each week. Knight said the grant money will be used to purchase fresh food and help cover any shortages in weekly donations.
The Eston Free Pantry was one of 23 community projects across Canada selected to receive funding this year through the Stomping Grounds program. Since 2018, ADAMA Canada has contributed more than $500,000 to community projects focused on strengthening local communities and improving well-being.
Haley Tetreault, ADAMA Canada's Northwest and Southwest Central Saskatchewan Area Business Manager, personally delivered the cheque to the pantry. She was joined by Matt Owens of Emerge Ag Solutions in Eston.
"This is one of those amazing small-town stories where the community comes together to solve a problem and take care of their neighbours," said Tetreault. "To hear that our Stomping Grounds grant was a total surprise to the volunteers after a bit of a scramble to keep the pantry going and it will help keep the shelves stocked for at least a year, that's incredible."
Owens praised the work of the volunteers.
"It is pretty remarkable what everyone at the Little Free Pantry does with the limited resources they have, not least of which is their own time," he said. "Really makes a person proud to call this town home.”