"font-size: small;">SPANISH

FORT, Ala. — Prodisee Pantry was able to put the move to its new

16,000-square-foot facility on the fast track with the receipt of a

$100,000 Walmart Foundation Grant. The money was immediately

earmarked for the nonprofit organization’s Building to Meet the

Need project.

"font-size: small;">“We went

online and sought out the Walmart Foundation grant under their

Hunger Initiative,” said Deann Servos, Prodisee executive director.

“We had written a very large request and they blessed us with a

very large check.”

"font-size: small;">The agency

asked for financial assistance to perform electrical work,

construct a new loading dock, handle paving needs, add public

restrooms and complete interior walls. Prodisee Pantry purchased a

shuttered laminated cabinet business on four acres in September

2011, but the facility needed to be renovated and further equipped

to meet the pantry’s needs.

"font-size: small;">Prodisee

Pantry provides fresh produce, frozen meats and staple groceries to

an average of

900 Baldwin

County families monthly. It had operated in very limited space in a

former shopping center since its founding in November 2003 as a

ministry of Spanish Fort United Methodist Church.

"font-size: small;">Prodisee

Pantry was incorporated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as

an independent nonprofit agency supported by several denominations

and serving the entire county.

"font-size: small;">“We are so

blessed,” she said. “This could have only come together because God

provided the people and touched their hearts to come and give. The

Walmart Foundation grant was really a catalyst to make sure we had

the funds to pay for some of the things that volunteers couldn’t

do. Those funds opened the door to make this process go a little

faster.”

"font-size: small;">Servos said

the group had received a brief email from the foundation indicating

in one sentence that the grant request had been approved. It was

only after an evening visit to the Spanish Fort Post Office that it

was learned just how big the check was.

"font-size: small;">“This was a

very exciting moment in our life,” Servos said. “I realized the

true blessing that had come in the mailbox that night. It allowed

us to go ahead and get the loading dock underway, and confirmed

that we had the funds to continue what we needed to get done

here.”

"font-size: small;">She noted

the grant illustrates Walmart’s commitment to the communities where

it does business.

"font-size: small;">The grand

opening celebration of the new Prodisee Pantry facility will take

place on Sunday, Feb. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m, at 9315 Spanish Fort

Blvd. (U.S. Highway 31).

"font-size: small;">“We want

everyone to come and see what God has blessed us with and how the

community has stepped up,” Servos said.

"font-size: small;">If you

would like to make a donation to Prodisee Pantry, send a check to

P.O. Box 7403, Spanish Fort, AL 36577, or go online at

"http://www.prodiseepantry.org/">www.prodiseepantry.org.

"line-height: 115%;">For more information, call

251-626-1720.