The Mayville Food Pantry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is asking the community to donate to aid fellow residents. Pictured is pantry coordinator Deborah Marsala. P-J photo by William Mohan

MAYVILLE — St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is asking the community to give.

The Mayville Food Pantry is requesting donations of time and materials to help those in need. The pantry is a ministry of St. Paul’s and includes a walk-through design that allows recipients to choose what is needed in their home.

Originally opened in 1986, the pantry has grown with the help of contributions of time and money from volunteers.

Pantry coordinator Deborah Marsala said the ministry is grateful to the businesses, organizations and individuals in the community.

“We are very blessed with many food drives and donations,” she said.

Organizations and businesses that the pantry collaborates with include Chautauqua Lake Central School, the U.S. Postal Service, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Tops Markets of Mayville and the Feedmore Western New York campaign of the Western New York Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.

Qualifying recipients of the food pantry must have residency in the Chautauqua Lake School District. This includes residents in the towns and villages of Chautauqua, Mayville, Dewittville, Ashville and Stow. Recipients must also register the number of members per household and its type, a source of income and have identifications for each participating member such as a birth certificate or driver’s license.

Each participant is given three days worth of food. Participants can make two pickups per month.

“This is who we serve, and we want to be of assistance to people,” Marsala said.

The pantry also accommodates first-time participants who are in immediate need of food. First-time participants do not need to be residents in the Chautauqua Lake School District.

“If someone were to come in and they were not from our area, it doesn’t matter. We always do first-time emergencies,” Marsala said. “We’re ready to help.”

Marsala said recipients of emergency collections will be referred to their nearest food bank based on their zip codes. Recipients will then use the location for future food collections.

Also, the pantry runs special distributions during major holidays.

To help the pantry run effectively, Marsala said volunteers are always welcome.

“We are always in need of volunteers,” Marsala said. “We need two for each operating day (in the pantry) in order to run smoothly.”

To learn how to donate or volunteer, call 224-3814 or email foodypantry@hotmail.com. The Mayville Food Pantry is located in the Cheryl Steinbach Outreach Center and is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Arrangements can also be made for participants who are unavailable during the pantry’s normal business hours. The food pantry is closed in the event of inclement weather during the school year.

The Outreach Center is adjacent to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 99 Erie St. in Mayville.