Maricopa Pantry needs $206K to break ground

Jim Shoaf says he needs another $206,000 to break ground on Maricopa Pantry’s new home this fall.

While that amount is a fraction of the estimated $2.5 million project, the food bank’s founder and CEO wants to begin shoveling dirt as soon as September.

“We still don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we’re going to do it,” he said.

That money would allow the pantry to begin constructing a permanent building at 50881 W. Papago Rd. in Hidden Valley. It’s a huge step up from the diesel-fueled trailers that have traditionally housed meals that feed more than 1,400 families weekly.

“What we’re building is an 80-by-180-foot, two-story warehouse,” he said. “We’re doing a lot more than just a food bank…we want to have a one-stop shop.”

That vision includes creating a central location for locals to receive free legal advice, housing assistance and substance abuse services, as well as a community room for dining and events.

Seeing that plan come to life has proven a slow process since the original pantry burned to the ground in March 2022. Donations and grant money have trickled in and Shoaf has been searching for grant writers, but plenty more is still needed to get the pantry operational by 2024.

But that hasn’t stopped Shoaf from trying to make that vision happen.

“I’m looking forward to not being in the sun next year (loading donations) when it’s 115 degrees outside,” Shoaf said with a smile.

To make a donation, visit maricopapantry.org/donate.