First Congregational Church Food Pantry to relocate back to its old home

By Tara Vocino

REVERE – With school starting on Tuesday, the First Congregational Church of Revere Food Pantry — temporarily housed at Rumney Marsh Academy during the summer — is moving back to First Congregational Church. According to Food Pantry Director Wendy Baur, a fire broke out on June 6 in a nearby home where the church shares the yard, flooding the church basement from the aftermath.

“We’ve been at the Rumney Marsh Academy since July 4 and thank Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly for letting us use the building,” Baur said at Rumney Marsh Academy on Tuesday morning.

The pantry serves 900 to 1,000 families monthly, and it is open Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. for residents only.

The city’s Department of Public Health Director, Lauren Buck, called the pantry “an essential component of food access in Revere,” citing a mold concern in the church until repairs were complete.

Rumney Marsh Academy custodian DeDe Cann said the school will miss them using the space. “They’re good people,” Cann said. “They work hard.”

Rumney Marsh Academy custodian Jamie Nelson said the school will always have their back if anything happens, such as another natural disaster. “Having them here has been great, and it’s for a good cause,” Nelson said.

Revere Public Schools Facilities and Maintenance Director Carl Svendsen complimented his custodians for going above and beyond their job description. “They’re well-oiled machines,” Svendsen said. “They only had to open and close the school, but they stayed and helped out each shift.”

Revere High School senior Christian Flores said it was nostalgic serving at the pantry where he attended middle school. Flores plans to help out at the church as well.

Food pantry volunteer Stephen Damiano, a ward 4 school committee candidate, wants to thank the city, the health department, the Department of Public Works and Rumney Marsh Academy, along with every volunteer and neighbor who pitched in to help set up, keep operations running and bring the pantry back to home base. “It’s been a real community effort,” Damiano said. “I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”