TOPSS celebrates groundbreaking of new facility
The Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services celebrated the groundbreaking of a new building behind their current facilities on July 30.
The Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS) celebrated its new facility with a ground-breaking ceremony on July 30.
At the Oxford City Council meeting on July 15, TOPSS Board President Suzy Hummel spoke about the groundbreaking and spoke to the council about the new facility, a one-stop shop that will expand TOPSS’ services while providing a smooth experience for its clients.
Sherry Martin, the executive director of TOPSS, said the current layout, with different services and offices spread across three buildings, can be a hindrance and a difficulty for the pantry’s operations.
“We’re building a building where we can have all of our social services in the pantry in one building,” Martin said. “Right now, we’re split between three buildings, and it’s kind of clumsy for the clients. We want a place where they could come in and get help with whatever they need in the same spot.”
TOPSS moved to 5455 College Corner Pike in 2020 to be closer to the Family Resource Center, which it merged with last year. The organization offers pantry and social services through curbside shopping and emergency assistance, among other things.
The new facility, which Martin said is expected to be completed by next March, will run similarly to a grocery store. Clients will be able to walk around with carts and interact with each other and with workers in a space that looks more like a grocery store and less like a food line.
“We’re not building this for ourselves,” Martin said at the groundbreaking. “We’re building it for our clients who come to us on the hardest days of their lives. For moms trying to keep the lights on, for seniors choosing between groceries and medicine, for college students who thought they’d never need help until they did.”
Oxford City Counselor David Prytherch, who attended the groundbreaking, said that the city has been aware of this project for many years.
“The facility that they currently have, they do an amazing job with it,” Prytherch said, “but it doesn’t live up to the potential of what they’re trying to do. This facility brings everything all together under one better roof.”
The TOPSS Groundbreaking Ceremony features shiny shovels and custom helmets to celebrate the event. Photo by Aidan Cornue.
Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 allowed the project, which is expected to cost around $1.5 million, to get started. Martin said this expansion will not only allow TOPSS to run more efficiently, but it will also provide services to people so they don’t have to drive to Hamilton or Middletown.
“It’s bringing the services closer to the people that need them without them having to leave town,” Martin said. “It’s important that we do that because there’s so many people in Oxford that have needs. I think it’s hard sometimes for us to see that because it’s not visible here like it is in other places.”
Diana Byrd, a board member at TOPSS, echoed this sentiment. Growing up, Byrd faced similar challenges, and now she can resonate with people in town who require services but can’t make the 20 or more minute drive.
“What I see is that the community recognizes that there was really a need,” Byrd said. “We are a remote little college town, but there is a need here. Why does somebody have to get a ride to go to Hamilton to go to all these offices to get the help they need? That’s what we had to do as kids. My mother didn’t even drive or have a car.”
The celebration was attended by workers in the city, TOPSS workers and volunteers and members of the public. Despite the heat, the crowd was engaged and clapping in support of the project. Byrd said many of the people have helped TOPSS in some way.
“It’s just eye-opening to know that people have been with us all along,” Byrd said. “All these people today give monetary donations, they drop off food, they’re delivery drivers, they volunteer, whether it’s to help clean the buildings, whether it’s to clean up the yard, whatever it takes.”
With the project moving past the planning stage and into construction, Martin said it’s a breath of fresh air to see the facility taking form after years of speaking hypothetically about it.
“I’m excited,” Martin said. “We have a lot of people, even volunteers, who will say things like, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it,’ and now they’ve seen it. We’re really excited [and] can’t wait for the new building to open and to get things started.”
