The Westport Food Pantry has served thousands of needy residents since its founding during the pandemic, distributing donated food and other essentials purchased with donated funds. Come next summer, they’ll start growing their own food at the Town Farm.

With the select board’s blessing, pantry officials will soon begin subleasing land at the 830 Drift Road farm currently leased by the town to the Trustees of the Reservations; select board members approved the sub-lease unanimously at their most recent meeting.

“Nothing will be sold,” Stephen Clayton, a member of the pantry’s board, told select board members. Instead, the produce grown on the site would be distributed by the pantry free of charge every Monday, its normal distribution day. Clayton did not say what type of produce will be grown.

“We’re excited about the idea of having food grown on the property, added Mike Francis, an associate field director with the trustees.

The land that will be farmed was historically known as the Westport Poor Farm, which ceased operations in 1956. More recently, it was farmed by the trustees and used as a community farm, but that activity ended about nine years ago. Volunteers would tend to crops.

"I think  it sounds like a phenomenal use, just getting  back to what the original intent was," select board member Shana Shufelt said.

The expansion comes as the pantry continues to grow. Originally founded by the town in the wake of the pandemic, the pantry has since become its own non-profit entity staffed by a director, a board and many volunteers.

The pantry distributes food every Monday at the Westport Grange, 931 Main Road, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.