Most operations for West Deerfield Township have returned to normal after a flood closed its office building for more than a month, officials said.
The food pantry continues to operate from the First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, according to the Rev. Suzan Hawkinson, the church’s pastor.
The township moved back into the first and second floors of its building at 601 Deerfield Road on March 1 after it was shuttered Jan. 28 because of a hydrostatic pressure backup flooding the basement and other parts of the structure, according to Supervisor Alyson Feiger.
“We moved back in on schedule March 1,” Feiger said. “It’s totally safe to enter the building. The construction workers were working 18 hour days so we could get up and running by our target date.”
The building needed new drywall, carpet, baseboards and subflooring, according to Feiger. She said care was taken to make sure materials were non-porous. She said one thing which was saved were the township’s records.
“They were all in a waterproof, fireproof safe,” Feiger said.
The West Deerfield Township Food Pantry, which was housed in the basement of the building, will be operating out of the church until it is completely rebuilt, according to Feiger. She said she hopes that is sometime in May. The first distribution to patrons from the church was made March 3. Gift cards were handed out in the meantime.
Feiger said the temporary haven in one of the church’s enclosed worship spaces is much smaller than the pantry’s permanent home.
“We are not able to distribute meat, produce and dairy products,” Feiger said. “We’re still using gift cards which have been donated to supplement the dry goods we are distributing.”
All food and gift cards are donated, according to Feiger. While all donations are welcome, Janice Winter, a food pantry board member, said advance warning is helpful.
“We need to make sure we have volunteers here to receive it,” Winter said.
Volunteerism has been the name of the game since the need for help rose Jan. 28. Hawkinson said she offered Feiger the space and started networking with the Southeast Lake County Inter-Religious Council to get help.
The church started getting the temporary space ready, according to Thom Cunningham, the church’s director of Christian education and mission. He said the youth group built the two rows of shelves for the pantry.
“So many religious and community organizations stepped up,” Cunningham said. “They all banded together to empower each other and made a difference.”
Donations have come in from around the area, according to Feiger.
“We got food from Hanover Township,” Feiger said. “We got 200 bags from Niles Township. That was great because we could just give it out. We didn’t have to re-bag it.”
Feiger said she is currently seeking additional space to store the dry goods since more has arrived than can be kept at the church. One person who has offered space is state Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield.
“The bags are snaking around (Morrison’s) conference room,” Feiger said.
While patrons get their food from the church and with the help of gift cards, Feiger said the township is making plans to rebuild the pantry.
She said its freezers were sealed and will be part of the new facility. She said all new shelving will be installed. Feiger is working with groups which build and stock food pantries to determine the best way to proceed.
Once the pantry is rebuilt, Feiger said an effort will be made to restock it.
“We’ve heard from a lot of people who want to hold food drives,” Feiger said. “The community has been so generous.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
Twitter: @sadinsteve
