Anchor of Hope opens first food pantry in Pascagoula

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (WXXV)- A new community food pantry in Pascagoula is helping families facing food insecurity by providing free food and an opportunity for residents to give back.

Anchor of Hope celebrated the dedication of its first community food pantry with prayers and a blessing from local catholic priests.

Donations were collected from local businesses, while Resurrection Catholic School organized a food drive to help stock the pantry.

The Pascagoula Men’s Club built the pantry box. The box is located in the south parking lot of Bozo’s Too, near the corner of Ingalls Avenue and Sunset Drive. Anchor of Hope Founder Bridgitte Ware said, “I saw a lot of people posting on Facebook that they had a need for food. Sometimes it would be single moms that would just need enough food to make it until their next paycheck. So, I thought if we could fill that gap even just a little bit. There’s just a need in Mississippi and everywhere they say that one in four children in homes across America have food insecurities and so I thought if we could help just a little bit.”

The pantry is free and open to everyone, allowing residents to take what they need or leave donations for others.