Myths and gossip abound about the Andover Food Pantry and how it is run; so many, in fact, that the Andover Lion’s Club has formed a committee to consider the future of the Andover Food Pantry and to gather information about problems that might exist and to come up with solutions.

The Andover Food Pantry was started five years ago by the Andover Lions Club and The Andover Beacon. It was purposely set up to be simple to run. It was to be something that required almost no staff or overhead to run. It was to be open, on the honor system, to anyone who thought they needed the food. No one would be turned away, no embarrassing questions would be asked.

Now, after five years of operation, some people are concerned that residents of other towns may be coming to the Andover Food Pantry, and some think that access should be limited. Others say that some people abuse the open door policy by taking more than a fair share of food. Some have said they will no longer donate to the Andover Food Pantry unless it changes the open door / honor system policy.

Other people say that the food pantry is just fine run the way it is, that it is performing its proper function of getting food into the hands of people who feel they need it. These people think that if the food pantry were to require some evidence of eligibility, some people who need the food would be too proud to go through the embarrassment of proving their need. Why should hungry people be turned away because they live on the wrong side of a town line?

The Lions Club Food Pantry Committee has set a meeting for Thursday, February 13, at the Town Hall at 7 PM to consider the future of the Andover Food Pantry. We want the views of all who have an interest in the Food Pantry: people who want to help out, people who donate, people who make use of the Food Pantry, and those who have an interest in how the Food Pantry operates. We want to see the Food Pantry succeed, and need your thoughts on how that might best be done.

Among the issues to be considered:

• What are the facts behind the rumors? Are the perceived problems real?

• What would a well-run Andover Food Pantry look like?

• How would it be run?

• Who should set policy for how it is operated?

• Should the food pantry be run by an independent volunteer organization, which would arrange for staffing and set policy and undertake fundraising and food collection?

• Should the food pantry be open to anyone? Or should there be eligibility requirements?

• Should the pantry only be open for a few hours each week? When?

• Should the pantry only be open to Andover residents? What about Wilmot? Salisbury? (Danbury already has its own food pantry.)

• Should the food pantry continue to operate on the honor system, or should food quantities be limited?

• How would access and quantity limitations be enforced? By whom?

We want your ideas. We need to hear your concerns. The Andover Food Pantry is a good idea. Please help us to make it better.