When the federal government shut down earlier this month, it felt like déjà vu at the Grand Canyon Food Pantry, Inc. (GCFPI).
The food pantry – located inside of Grand Canyon National Park – began during the last major shutdown in 2018–2019. Hundreds of park employees and concession workers suddenly found themselves without paychecks.
What started as an emergency food bank in the park’s recreation center grew into a permanent pantry, located in what used to be the canyon’s jail. Flagstaff Family Food Center acquired GCFPI about a year ago. This occurred when Mike Scott, its volunteer founder, retired.
Typically, the pantry serves about 100 to 130 households each week in Grand Canyon Village and surrounding areas.
Of course, the past few months has been far from typical. During the summer, dozens of evacuees from the Dragon Fire. This fire destroyed about half the structures on the North Rim. This area housed at a training center in the South Rim and needed food from the pantry.
Now we are in the midst of another shutdown. While most National Park Service employees received a check last week for their work prior to the shutdown, it is uncertain when they will be paid again. So the pantry is stocking up to prepare for increased demand in the coming weeks.
Leading those efforts is Heather Lapré, a former volunteer who was hired by FFFC to run the pantry.
Heather, a native of Albuquerque, and her husband, A.J., moved to the park in 2009 when he began his career as a ranger with the National Park Service.
As a homeschooling mom of two, Heather found a new purpose in helping others at the food pantry.
“I’ve always wanted to help people.”
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” she said. “When someone walks through our doors, I want them to feel that they belong, that they matter, that they are welcome. Beyond being a place that meets their food needs, it’s also a place of community, of gathering and being seen. I want the people who come here to feel dignity. I give out a lot of hugs.”
In addition to overseeing operations in the food pantry, which is open three days a week, Heather also organizes weekly mobile distributions to a handful of families in the Supai Camp, as well as a monthly distribution in Tusayan.
Another point of pride for the pantry is an extensive food rescue program. This program reclaims hundreds of pounds of fresh and prepared food each week from local concessionaires and stores. Food that can’t be used for the pantry becomes farm food for mules housed next door or is contributed to the local school’s compost pile. “Our aim is zero waste,” Heather said.
Through fires, shutdowns, and seasonal transitions, the Grand Canyon Food Pantry has remained a constant source of care and connection.
In addition to Heather, the pantry has a core group of 15 volunteers. One of the difficulties is that many other volunteers are seasonal employees at the park and when the season ends, they leave.
If you want to volunteer in Grand Canyon, sign up through Volunteer Matters. Once you create your account, log in and select the Grand Canyon Food Pantry from the list of volunteer projects available.
We are incredibly proud of Heather and the dedicated volunteers who embody our mission of Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Every Day. They help to ensure that no one in Northern Arizona faces hunger alone.
Together, we’ll keep feeding hope and addressing food insecurity – from Flagstaff to the Canyon’s edge.
Sincerely,
Ethan Amos
President & CEO
Flagstaff Family Food Center
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