At McGregor, care often shows up in quiet, unexpected ways – a bag of rice, a box of pasta, or a gentle knock at the door. In a world where it’s easy to assume everyone is getting by, the McGregor Food Pantry stands as a powerful reminder that giving comes simply from understanding.
Launched in 2020 and now serving more than 75 families, the pantry grew out of a simple but urgent realization. McGregor’s CEO, Ann Conn, began hearing that some employees were struggling. Rising costs, large households and sudden hardships were creating gaps that paychecks alone couldn’t cover. When the pandemic further strained resources and emptied store shelves, the need became impossible to ignore.
Conn brought together Margie Hirsch, Director of Operations with other members of the team, to find a solution. What began as a conversation quickly became a plan.
“It wasn’t part of our job descriptions,” Hirsch recalls, “but that didn’t matter. We knew people were in need, and we came together to support our McGregor community.”
Using newly acquired space from 2019, the team mapped out the pantry, installed shelving and designed an efficient layout.
In 2022, Jennifer Forte, Nutrition Services Manager, joined the efforts to help manage the growing operation with Hirsch.
“We genuinely appreciate every McGregor team member who makes the pantry work from start to finish each month, including our regular monthly volunteers April Speights, Alicia Harris, Shertara Boyd, Michele Ketterick and Darlene Rumienski,” says Forte. “And we could not make this happen without the efforts of Rodney Smith, Director of Environmental Services and dedicated department of 23 team members who have been volunteers at the Food Pantry since we began on day one. McGregor staff and volunteers are creating a viable, dependable resource for people they care about.”
“It’s truly a One McGregor effort,” Hirsch says. “Not just one department, everyone.” Forte agrees: “What makes it work isn’t just the food. It’s the people.”
The Food Pantry runs like a well-oiled machine with a steady rhythm. Orders are coordinated by Hirsch, often through the Greater Cleveland Food Bank – and funding is provided by the McGregor Foundation. Forte coordinates volunteers who gather to sort and pack items: canned goods, pantry staples, fresh produce and frozen meats. By Wednesday, bags are labeled with names and ready for distribution.
Then, on the third Thursday of each month from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., the pantry opens. Staff can stop by – no paperwork, just need.
Originally created for employees, the pantry soon expanded to serve participants in McGregor’s PACE program, which supports adults 55 and older. While PACE participants already receive meals, the pantry offers something more: flexibility, choice, ingredients to cook with, staples to stretch meals, and essentials like toiletries and cleaning supplies.
“They get by with what they have,” explained Forte. “This helps fill in the gaps. We are very proud that the pantry has evolved as a place of giving with a Kitchen Equipment Closet and clothing drive additions. I hear more and more how staff want to be involved with the food pantry and donate items to help others.”
For many PACE participants who face transportation challenges, the pantry adapts. Bags are delivered along bus routes or dropped directly to homes. Volunteers and dietary staff carefully assemble and distribute each order to ensure it reaches the right person.
And when urgent needs arise, the response is immediate.
“We also prepare emergency bags,” Forte says. “If someone loses power or won’t have enough food to last the week, we step in. Sometimes, help begins with a simple comment, Mrs. Smith is running low, and by the next day, they’re not.”
Across the country, millions of working families face food insecurity, often in ways that go unseen. “Hunger doesn’t always look the way people expect,” Hirsch notes.
Challenges remain. Changes to SNAP benefits and evolving work requirements have created new uncertainty, especially for those already on the edge. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank has warned partners to prepare for increased demand, and McGregor is doing just that.
Because if the past few years have shown anything, it’s this: when one McGregor person struggles, others step in.
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