The Fillin’ Station food pantry is hoping to open a new depot.

Warren Ratchford, representing the Focus Group, and Rev. David Grandgeorge, pastor of Guyton Christian Church, approached Guyton City Council about using the former Guyton Elementary School for the Fillin Station food pantry.

“The Guyton Christian Church has done an astronomical job there,” Ratchford said of the Fillin Station. “The number of people needing this is astounding.”

Currently, the Fillin Station is housed at the old service station on Lynn Bonds Avenue. But the building is in bad shape, Ratchford told council members.

“The depot is not good for storage,” he said.

Currently, the Fillin Station does not have a refrigerator to store food, especially produce.

Said Grandgeorge: “We’re looking for a better place.”

The Fillin Station gave out 43 tons of food last year, Grandgeorge said, and a new place would help take some of the pressure off FORCE, the Food Outreach Co-op of Effingham.

“We started on a wing and a prayer,” Grandgeorge said. “A lot of people in our community need food. We’re helping the other food pantries in our community.”

But council members also raised the issue of how treat the Fillin Station’s needs when another non-profit group is renting city property.

“I’m for it,” said council member Les Pevey. “But we’ve got a non-profit group going in next door and they’re paying $300 a month.”

Grandgeorge said the Fillin Station does not raise funds on its own and also does not sell anything to offset its costs.

“Every penny we spend on overhead is another penny we can’t spend on food,” he said.

Ratchford also asked the city how quickly it could move to get the old elementary school ready. Many of the group’s volunteers are elderly and have problems with the heat, he said.

Guyton will come up with a project list to see what improvements need to be made to the old Guyton Elementary School