Eagle Scout Project: St. Mary’s Food Pantry

Jacob Dehm, Alleman junior, member of Sacred Heart Parish, and member of BSA Troop 243, recently completed his Eagle Scout Project at St Mary's Food Pantry in Moline. An Eagle Project should benefit the community and have a lasting impact. He volunteered there along with his mother, Sandi Dehm, over the past few years. While volunteering at the pantry, Jacob noticed that the inner room of the pantry could use some upgrades as well as fresh paint. In talking with volunteers, Cusi Graf and Pete Murray, he decided this was a worthwhile project.

Once his project was approved, fundraising began. Within days, news stations reached out to him and his project was out to the community, and the response from the community was overwhelming. All of the old plywood shelving was removed and the walls were painted a lighter color. Several scouts from his troop, family, and friends, helped to assemble and install sturdy adjustable metal shelves, increasing shelf space and ensuring clients could see pantry offerings. Jacob and his father, Blake, built new bagging stations for both the inner room and the produce area, which had not had one previously.

Once all of the shelves were installed, secured, and stocked, the final step was to place shelf tags with Spanish/English translations for the items. This step made the pantry more inclusive, as many clients only speak Spanish, and many volunteers do not. Since the pantry serves over 250 families every month and more on an occasional basis, this project will have an impact for many years to come.