We’re coming up on the last few days for people to make a monetary donation to help offset the closing costs for the new building for the Greene County Action Resource Center (ARC) in Jefferson.

We’ve previously reported that the ARC is looking to move from their current location on Harrison Street to the former Clark Plumbing and Heating building on North Vine Street. Assistant Director Shirley Haupert says the new building will increase their space from a 44-foot-by-50-foot facility to a 70-foot-by-50-foot building, which will allow for more space for their clients, and allow them to offer items that they haven’t had the space to offer before.

“We’ll now be able to have some furniture that will be available for families that might need a stove, or a chair, or a bed. Right now we rent a storage unit and so we’ll be able to save money by bringing that stuff to our building and having it available.”

Site Manager Diane Blackmer adds, the new building will also allow them to offer more food choices for the families they serve.

“Each person will receive a slip or a voucher saying how many of each category of items they can have. And then they would go through with a volunteer and choose within that category what their family would like. It’s a little bit more user-friendly.”

She says they made an offer on the building for $69,000 and still need donations to help make up the difference in the purchase price. The closing date is this Thursday. Checks can be made payable to ARC and can be dropped off to their current location at 112 East Harrison Street. To hear more updates on the local food pantry, listen to today’s and this Thursday’s Community State Bank in Paton Let’s Talk Greene County program.