The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center plans to open a satellite food pantry in Newport’s North End later this spring, bringing hunger relief services closer to residents who have faced transportation barriers accessing the organization’s downtown location.
The new pantry will be located at 120 Hillside Ave. near Miantonomi Park. Once open, the food pantry will operate Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. and Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. The MLK Center’s Produce to the People program, which provides free fresh fruits and vegetables to Newport County residents, will also be offered at the location on Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
“Transportation should not be a barrier to having enough food on the table, and we are excited to provide extra support for our community in the North End,” said Executive Director Heather Hole Strout. “Our location downtown is great for some, but it can be a challenge for others on the island.”
Client feedback identified a critical need for additional hunger services in the neighborhood, with many North End residents citing transportation as an obstacle to reaching the MLK Center’s existing programs.
Founded in 1922, the MLK Community Center served more than 8,700 people last year, the most in its history. For more information, visit MLKCCenter.org or call 401-846-4828.