TOLEDO, Ohio —
Construction on Broadway Street has caused issues of access to businesses and other locations in the area. The problem is no different for Nuestra Gente Community Project's food pantry, as its founder is concerned about how people and food will get to its location.
The pantry serves people from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday at 1411 Broadway St. But, there's no sidewalk to get there.
Nuestra Gente founder and president Linda Parra said when construction started, they had to find a new way to get food inside the pantry.
Parra said the delivery truck would normally park in front of the chapel but has since had to move to the parking lot.
"We will bring the boxes of food from the truck down to the sidewalk and put it on the cart and bring it inside the pantry," Parra said. "But now, we don't have a sidewalk."
She's not just worried about getting food to the pantry, either.
"Also for people that are coming to the pantry," Parra said. "We see that people are coming through our yard because there is no sidewalk."
The pantry has about 90 visitors every day it's open, but Parra said on Thursday, there were just about 20. People had to go through either the grass or along a thin, unpaved path with wires and debris on it.
Parra said most of the people who come to the pantry walk there, but the grass or the path are not the most accessible options for everyone.
"We saw a gentleman with a can that just crossed the yard, but he had a hard time crossing the yard," she said.
A representative from the city of Toledo said construction was not anticipating removing the sidewalk at this point in the project. Starting Friday, contractors will be laying down a temporary stone path, according to a city spokesperson.
Parra said she does not want to close the pantry, especially as the holidays are approaching.
Alicia Wade and her husband live just a short walk away from Nuestra Gente, but with the construction, she says it's hard to get across the street. She added that the construction makes getting around town a hassle, but it will be worth it in the long run.
"We've seen a picture of what it's going to look like and it's going to be nice," Wade said. "Only thing I can tell people is 'be patient.'"