Moving heavy pallets is now a little easier for volunteers at the Gilmer Community Food Pantry.
The local food pantry was one of 58 hunger relief organizations in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama chosen to receive a motorized pallet jack at no cost.
The new equipment was supplied by Carolina Handling, a N.C.-based logistics company, in recognition of its 58th year of business and as part of a philanthropic effort called Handling Hunger Together.
“There are numerous organizations throughout our territory that receive, store and distribute thousands of pounds of food each year to feed the hungry,” said Carolina Handling President and CEO Brent Hillabrand. “The need for reliable equipment to move pallets of donated food at food banks and pantries is even greater than we realized. We’re honored to partner with so many of the nonprofits that are addressing food insecurity in their communities.”
Allen Triebel, Gilmer Community Food Pantry director, said the device will serve multiple purposes at the pantry.
“The safety of our volunteers will be greatly improved by the efficiency and multiple uses of this new asset,” said Triebel. “We will be able to maneuver large pallets inside our panel truck, and our petite pet pantry team leader will now be able to move pallets loaded with 500 pounds of pet food safely and with ease.”