These canned goods are on display at the food pantry at Saranac Lake High School. (Enterprise photo — Amy Scattergood)

SARANAC LAKE — If you head up from the Saranac Lake High School parking lot, past a greenhouse and a patch of tall sunflowers, under a sign marking #17, you’ll find yourself in what was once a senior lounge. Now the space is stocked with canned goods, sacks of rice, boxes of breakfast cereal, coffee, maple syrup and pasta sauce. It’s not a retro school store, but a food pantry.

Run in tandem by the nonprofit Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties and the Saranac Lake Central School District, the food pantry has been operational since the first week of April, giving out boxes of supplies to whomever needs them. The pantry is open by appointment, Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays, and anyone is welcome — you don’t need to be a student or have a student in your family.

“This is something that’s going to be permanent, thanks to the school,” said JCEO’s Shirley McIlwain-Koch, who helms the food bank three days a week. “It’s taken amazing teamwork to create this and get it up and running for the community.”

On Monday, McIlwain-Koch was busy stocking the pantry shelves and filling bags and boxes, which are organized around meals that can be made with extra to freeze. Some boxes include the makings for pasta dinner, others for a pancake breakfast, including syrup and coffee. Pet food is available, as are the contents of a freezer filled with pork tenderloin, chicken and ground beef.

There is some paperwork required at the first visit, for JCEO’s records, but everyone is welcome.

“Rachael Ray could come in,” said McIlwain-Koch of the TV chef, whose Lake Luzerne house was damaged by fire Sunday night.

And there is more than just food at the pantry. JCEO also provides school supply backpacks and has programs that help with evictions, utility turnoffs and other emergency services, including medical transport.

JCEO operates 15 pantries and outreach centers across Clinton and Franklin counties, which assist with referrals, applications, summer camp scholarships, personal care and household items. The organization also operated area mobile farmers markets, immigrant services and senior outreach.

Nicole Laurin, JCEO Development Director, said that there are plans to expand the food pantry into a welcoming center.

“We plan to accept clothing donations that will be available for free,” said Laurin. “There will also be access to winter gear like coats, hats, gloves, etc. This partnership is filling a need in the community. We are so grateful that we are here to help, and don’t want anyone going without.”

“Your community is only as strong as you help it to be,” said McIlwain-Koch, who hopes that being attached to the school will mean that folks feel more comfortable asking for help if they need it, especially as they continue to feel the effects of the ongoing pandemic.

JCEO was created in 1966 as Clinton County’s official anti-poverty agency. It expanded its Head Start program to Franklin County in 1998. The food pantry project is made possible with help from the school district, The Adirondack Foundation, Casella, individual donors and other grants and funding.

On Monday, Aug. 17 from 3 to 6 p.m. there will be a food giveaway in the high school bus circle for the first 250 families to arrive. Bags of food will be loaded directly into cars, and more than one bag can be given out if folks need to pick up supplies for neighbors who don’t want to or cannot leave their houses.

To make an appointment to pick up supplies, call (518) 483-7022. The food pantry is located at the Saranac Lake High School, 79 Canaras Ave., Saranac Lake. For more information about JCEO’s services, go to www.jceo.org.