HENDERSON (KTNV) — We're learning more today about the food fight in Henderson that is leaving some of our community members in the lurch.
I first brought this story to light back in June when a local pastor reached out to me to sound the alarm about a food pantry that had its supply cut off.
What happened? Here's what I found out when I first learned of the closure back in June:
Michael Bristow is one of the Henderson residents now struggling to find food services somewhere else after the pantry at Our Saviors Lutheran Church was shut down.
"There's nothing in my house to eat," Bristow told me. "It's been very difficult."
Bristow, who uses a wheelchair, tells me he's been struggling ever since the pantry closed in May — especially since his ability to get around is limited.
"This was perfect," he said. "I only live a block and a half down the street."
When Ed Bruning, the pastor at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, first brought this story to my attention, I asked him why the church could no longer operate its food bank.
"You ask why, and I don't really know the answer," Bruning told me.
The pantry's food had been supplied by Three Square, Southern Nevada's largest hunger relief organization. So I went to them to find out what happened.
"Were there violations from this specific food pantry that contributed to this decision?" I asked Lisa Segler, Three Square's chief strategy officer.
"Yes, and that is where we draw the line," Segler said. "There were violations, and we have to make sure that food is safe."
But Pastor Bruning tells me that's not the case. He says any questionable food they got was thrown out before ever reaching the public.
"We had never heard about food violations or safety violations until they reported it to you on television," Bruning told me.
He also says while he addressed all the requirements set by Three Square, his pantry was still shut down.
"They are claiming that there hasn't been a valid reason why their food pantry was shut down," I told Three Square president and CEO Beth Martino. "What do you have to say in response to that?"
"Well, we've been working with Our Saviors Lutheran for many months on a number of things that, ultimately, were unresolved," Martino told me.
I asked Martino to elaborate on some of those food safety concerns that led to the closure.
"Some of the things that we look for, generally, are things around keeping food at safe temperatures and storage; making sure that, you know, pest control and things like that are meeting the standards that we have in our partner agreement," Martino said.
That partner agreement is something I asked Three Square for a copy of, but my request was denied. The nonprofit told me "the extensive interview, statements and information provided by Three Square summarize our view of the situation."
If you're wondering about food inspections in cases like this — I was, too. So I called the Southern Nevada Health District, and here's what I found out.
Nevada law defines a food establishment as any place were food is prepared or sold regularly. However, there are exceptions — including charitable organizations that occasionally distribute food.
The food pantry at Our Saviors Lutheran Church falls under this exception. Since it's a charitable organization that doesn't sell food regularly to the public, it's not classified as a food establishment — meaning it might not be subject to the same food safety inspections as regular food businesses.
In the absence of the food pantry at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Martino tells me Three Square has been directing residents like Bristow to other food sources. For someone with Bristow's limited mobility, it's still been a difficult challenge to overcome.
"Who would have anticipated this?" he said. "This has been very stressful. I mean, beyond stressful."
