Volunteer Michelle Bartelli stocks shelves on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at Voices of Inspiration, 3112 N. Rockton Ave., in Rockford. The nonprofit food pantry will be forced to leave its home at the end of the month. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A grassroots nonprofit that helps keep residents’ cupboards and refrigerators stocked with groceries on the city’s northwest side must leave its home at the end of the month and is looking for a new location to continue its work.

Voices of Inspiration, which runs a free food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3112 N. Rockton Ave., could no longer cover its rent after another nonprofit that shared its space and split its bills moved out of the property. The nonprofit tried to raise funds to allow it to stay in place, but it didn’t generate enough money to cover the commitment needed.

Vivian Lott, who started the nonprofit about five years ago, said losing its space on Rockton Avenue won’t be the end of the nonprofit’s work. She plans to hold the biweekly food pantries up until they have to leave the space March 31. Then, they’ll put equipment in storage as they search for an affordable place to continue their mission.

“We’re still looking for a building. We have not given up hope,” Lott said. “This last month has really been a struggle for us, but what can you do besides just stay prayed up and keep it moving.”

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Voices of Inspiration started by offering pop-up food giveaways from a church parking lot about five years ago. For about two years it has operated out of 3112 N. Rockton Ave., the former Rockton Centre branch of the Rockford Public Library that closed in March 2021.

Since then the food pantry has become a go-to resource for hundreds of people each week on the northwest side. Aside from providing free weekly groceries, it also helps residents connect with job training, navigate Link and social security or obtain necessary IDs, Lott said.

Volunteer Rowena Bernel, who is also a Voices of Inspiration board member, prepares the pantry for one of its biweekly openings on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 3112 N. Rockton Ave. in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Sarah Bale moved to Rockford after she said she lost everything in an apartment fire in Cook County. Voices of Inspiration has helped provide food for her and her son.

“We come here once a week because we’re at that medium where we make too much for food stamps, but just not enough, especially with the price of groceries going up,” Bale said.

She lives about two blocks from the pantry, and since she has no vehicle right now it’s been an important way for her to get groceries.

“After 5:30 (p.m.) you can’t even really get a bus on this side of town, so going to the stores after my son gets off the school bus it’s harder,” Bale said. “It’s probably going to devastate a lot of families in this community.”

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Lott was inspired to give back by the generosity of her longtime friend Candice Hackett, who was fatally shot in April 2017 while in Minneapolis. Lott said she has poured much of her life savings into keeping the nonprofit afloat. It’s staffed by volunteers and gets food and other donations from a variety of places including Walmart. She hopes someone will come forward to offer another space.

“We really operate out of our pockets when we don’t get grants, and that’s where we’re at right now,” Lott said. “We’re just hoping for a miracle right now.”

Lott said up to 300 people are served each Tuesday and Thursday at the pantry. She said numbers have been on the rise lately as inflation has driven grocery prices higher.

Barb Garcia attested to that. She said Voices of Inspiration helps her keep the cost of groceries down as she’s seen prices rise in nearly every aisle.

“It seems like everything on the west side is closing up, it’s really sad,” Garcia said. “I’m really going to miss it. I hope they open up somewhere else.”

How to help | Voices of Inspiration

Donate: Voices of Inspiration is accepting online donations through CashApp by going here.

Contact: Vivian@VoicesofInspiration.org;  779-200-2795