To say the Bigfork Food Bank is in a new, expanded location would be to sell the striking difference short. The local pantry's new digs in the Nelson Electric building at Streeter's Corner are literally five times larger than the previous location.

"We are just so excited," said Sue Stuber, who runs the food bank. "This was an absolute answer to our prayers."

For years the food bank was located adjacent to Chrysler and Gordon's accounting firm just before the entrance to Wayfarer's Park. But the new space will allow things never before dreamed of, Stuber said, like an office, a waiting area, space for volunteers to take a quick break and, best of all, a ton of storage.

"We are extremely grateful to have had it at Chrysler and Gordon for all of those years," she said.

Shelves that were shoehorned into a small storage room at the old building are now accessible from either side in a large room. And there are shelves that can be stocked from the back, a handy feature since the food pantry organizes foods by their expiration dates.

The larger waiting area and the office are helpful of late, too, since the food bank has seen a spike in usage as the local economy has lagged and jobs have disappeared.

"It's great to have the office, because now we can interview people in private," Stuber said.

To prepare the new space, walls were knocked out and new paint and carpet were installed. Now Stuber and a number of volunteers are stocking the shelves with food from the old location as well as the more than 1,500 pounds that were collected by the U.S. Postal Service's mail carriers food drive on May 9.

And while that 1,500 pounds of food may fill the shelves, it won't last long.

Stuber said during the pantry's last distribution day, 1,700 pounds of food was given out.

With crates of food to sort and organize, Stuber said the volunteers who help keep the pantry running have been invaluable.

"It's been a lot of fun," she said. "And we've had just tremendous volunteer help."

To show off the new space, the Bigfork Food Pantry will host a community open house for Bigfork residents to come check out the institution that lends a vital hand to many residents.

"We hope the whole community will come see what they support," Stuber said. "We can't wait to show off our new quarters."

The open house will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3.

The food pantry's next distribution day on May 26 will take place at the new location.