CLEVELAND, Ohio — A busy Cleveland food pantry recently had to dispose of virtually all of its food and temporarily shut down after a Food Bank inspection found evidence of mice.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank says its compliance team found serious pest and cleanliness issues during a site visit to Bigman’s Family Center on Aug. 8. Some think the order to throw almost everything away was an overreaction and a wasteful move during a time of historic need for food assistance.

Pastor Pamela Brown, who operates Let’s Pray Ministry and manages the food pantry at Bigman’s Family Center, told News 5 that instruction to shut down came as the pantry was preparing for distribution on August 15.

“We had over 100 people waiting in line, and when they saw us taking out carts of food and throwing it into the dumpster, they asked us why,” she said.

While some volunteers turned away clients, others began following instructions to clear the shelves and toss everything in the dumpster outside, including produce delivered that morning, baby formula and canned goods.

“I said, ‘The food is in the dumpster.’ And they said, ‘Well, I’m not afraid to go in the dumpster. I’ve got to feed my family.’ Do you know how humiliating that probably was for them?” Brown recalled.

The pantry has had to halt its three-times weekly distributions for the time being. The closure comes as the Food Bank sees historic demand for food assistance. Brown said the pantry alone serves several thousand people each month.

News 5 reached out to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. A spokesperson there issued the following statement:

Bigman’s Family Center took over the food pantry less than 2 years ago, and Brown said the organization has done serious cleanup and pest control since the transition. Since it took over, she said it’s passed all regular inspections.

The nonprofit is now weighing whether it can distribute food sourced from outside the Food Bank and is calling for community donations. Pastor Brown said the community has come to rely on the organization’s services, and it doesn’t plan to go anywhere anytime soon.

“We’re far more, so that’s why we refuse to close the doors even if this is empty. We still are here for the community,” she said.

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