All’s well that ends well.
The Chester food bank will be moving from the contested annex building after more than a year of living in limbo.
Chairperson Wendy Sheppard has been petitioning the municipality to lift an eviction notice asking them to be out by the end of May.
She says the new facility has come along just in the nick of time.
“I’ll tell you I was quite elated,” she says. “Actually jumped up and down for joy when I found out this place was being offered to us–and being offered to us free of rental charges.
Sheppard says there are still a few details to be worked out.
But, she feels this is an opportunity for a fresh start.
“Because this issue has been going on for over two years,” says Sheppard, “we haven’t been able to focus on the things that we want to focus on. So, a lot of the programs that we had discussed we will now be able to move forward with.”
Meanwhile, Warden Allen Webber agrees this outcome is best for both parties.
And he adds the municipality is still willing to help with the relocation.
“We do have a $20,000 offer on the table that we made quite some time ago to assist with the moving,” he says, “and that’s still in our budget.”
There are still some loose ends to tie up before it becomes official.
However, the Chester food bank should be in their new place before the end of May.
