Red Star Food Pantry moves to new location

After almost 30 years at a location on Main Street, Red Star Food Pantry has begun operating out of a new facility just about a mile to the north at 361 Country Club Drive in Cape Girardeau.

Red Star Food Pantry is a Christ-centered food pantry serving the Cape Girardeau region with several federally funded, income guideline-based programs, as well as a privately funded emergency-based program.

Kevin Sexton, Red Star Food Pantry director, said the pantry holds food distributions at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday.

To kick things off at the new facility, Sexton said the first food distribution was held Friday at the new location, where they will be held moving forward.

Sexton said the pantry has been located at 1316 N. Main St. since opening in 1993.

"We realized the old facility was coming to an end, and the people who had this building blessed us unbelievably to let us have the facility," Sexton said.

Sexton said while the move was necessary, it also comes with some perks for the pantry: The layout of the building on Country Club Drive will be more functional for the pantry's day-to-day operations.

"All of our equipment is in one big room now," Sexton said. "Our old facility — as wonderful as it was — had everything kind of compartmentalized in different rooms, so that's something we're really excited about."

Red Star Food Pantry's monthly USDA food distribution, which Sexton described as "massive," will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at 361 Country Club Drive.

For more information on the Red Star Food Pantry and announcements on upcoming food distributions, visit the group's Facebook page or call Sexton at (573) 200-1565.