IMPERIAL BEACH (KGTV) — Brown paper covers the windows of the Magnolia Project food pantry in Imperial Beach, but the nonprofit says it plans to reopen by the end of the month with new leadership and volunteer support.
The Magnolia Project has spent three years helping South Bay families facing food insecurity. What began as a small pantry serving 12 families grew into a lifeline for thousands across the region.
"What just started as a little pantry in Imperial Beach with 12 families has grown to… we currently feed 7,000 people in our community from National City to San Ysidro," co-founder Regina Gamboa said.
Earlier this year, the nonprofit announced it was closing its doors after Gamboa stepped away to care for her daughter.
"At the end of the year our daughter that's special needs became critically ill and I promised the lord that if he kept her alive that I would walk away from everything," Gamboa said.
As word of the closure spread, volunteers pushed back.
"Our volunteers really approached the board and said this is such a great thing in the community we don't want to close. What can we do?" Gamboa said.
The board responded by bringing in new leadership to keep the pantry running. Elisa Greer has stepped in as the new project manager.
"A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and by the end of the three weeks they're out of food… so that's what we're here for, to help them out," Greer said.
The pantry relies entirely on donations, and leaders say every contribution helps keep food on the table for families who need it — and helps fund Greer's full-time role running the operation.
"Everything that our community gets from us is free, but it's not free to us," Gamboa said.
Greer said she hopes community support will sustain the pantry well into the future.
"Hopefully we can stay in business with private donations coming in for a long time," Greer said.
The Magnolia Project serves families from National City to San Ysidro.
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