The Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry is planning for a “soft reopening” Wednesday, after the governing board began to work to restart operations it had been locked out of.
The food pantry, which services about 10,000 people every month, abruptly closed Monday after members of the staff reportedly put signs out front indicating they were “on strike.”
Andrew Taban, board president for the nonprofit, said the governing board’s priority remains getting services up and going again after a sudden work stoppage.
He said the nonprofit’s storefront on Railroad Avenue would be reopened from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, which is the location’s normal operating hours.
“Even though we are still working out the details, our mission still remains to feed the public and that is what we are going to deliver on,” he wrote in a message Tuesday.
Statements Monday from both the board and SCV Food Pantry Executive Director Joanne Ainsworth indicate both sides are unhappy with their current relationship.
Ainsworth confirmed she had been placed on paid administrative leave the Friday before the protest came up, which is about nine days after she filed a complaint with the state Attorney General’s Office.
The complaint alleged a potential fraud on behalf of the board over a recently signed human resources contract.
The board issued a statement Monday evening that “categorically denied any wrongdoing” and said it “has simply and repeatedly demanded access and answers” that it has not received.
