Community food pantry - bridge the Gap

Bridge the Gap: Always Open, Always Here to Help

Bridge the Gap is Water’s Edge United Methodist Church’s expanding food pantry ministry, created to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. Our outdoor pantry is open 24 hours a day, six days a week, and stocked daily with non-perishable food and toiletries for anyone who needs them.

There is no registration, no requirements, and no questions asked. If someone is hungry, they are welcome to take what they need, whenever they need it.

As the needs of our community grow, we are growing too — expanding our food offerings, strengthening partnerships, and developing additional ways to support individuals and families facing food insecurity.

What We Offer

• Outdoor Pantry Open 24/7, stocked daily

• Non-perishable food items available anytime

• Basic toiletries when available

• No forms, no identification, no questions

• Stigma-free access built on dignity and trust

• Additional food support for individuals and families who contact us directly

How We’re Expanding

Bridge the Gap is actively growing to meet increasing community needs.

Current and upcoming expansion efforts include:

• Increasing pantry inventory through partnerships and donations

• Providing supplemental food boxes for families with specific needs

• Expanding toiletry and hygiene offerings

• Building volunteer capacity for stocking, sorting, and outreach

• Developing new support opportunities that respond directly to local hunger trends

Our goal is to ensure that everyone in New Buffalo and the surrounding area has reliable access to food, dignity, and support.

Why It Matters

• Many individuals and families struggle to access regular meals

• School-aged children often lack food on weekends or evenings

• Not everyone feels comfortable entering a traditional food pantry

• An open-access outdoor pantry provides privacy, dignity, and immediacy

Bridge the Gap exists to fill that need — quietly, consistently, and compassionately.

How You Can Help

The pantry is sustained entirely by donations and volunteers.

You can support by:

• Donating non-perishable food

• Donating toiletries and hygiene items

• Volunteering to help stock the pantry

• Sharing this resource with anyone who may need it

Every act of generosity fills more than a shelf — it directly supports a neighbor.