In 2011, Millersville Brethren in Christ (BIC) Church opened a food and clothing bank in the basement of the former Manor Music Mansion in Lancaster. The modest operation was helmed by a member of the church, and the donations were sourced primarily from its congregation. That same year, the food and clothing bank was displaced by a basement flooding issue and relocated to the loft of Millersville BIC's sanctuary. Fifteen years later, the humble initiative has grown into Loft Community Partnership (LCP) - and it's come a long way from a flooded basement.

In October 2025, LCP launched a capital campaign to secure a building to serve as its future headquarters. The organization partnered with the Millersville Borough Council to purchase Lancaster Emergency Medical Services' building in Millersville earlier this year, recently completing renovations that will allow LCP to offer entirely new programs and continue to increase its impact on the community.

"It was a leap of faith and a scary step to take, but we've had a lot of support from community members to get started," said LCP development chair Joy Olcott. "We'd been looking for a place of our own for years. When we saw this building, we knew it would be perfect, and we knew it was something we needed to do."

LCP recently concluded a trial run of two new programs at its new facility. The Skills for Life class taught participants a variety of culinary skills, including knife techniques, incorporating fresh produce to make healthy meals and methods of maximizing the use of groceries when supplies are limited. The second course, Family Table, invited families to gather once per week to prepare different parts of a themed meal that participants would share at the end of each session. Both programs were funded by a grant from United Way in 2025.

"These classes were something I envisioned six years ago when we didn't have a facility because of the COVID-19 pandemic," Olcott said. "It was pretty neat seeing that finally come to fruition."

In addition to offering community cooking programs in its newly renovated kitchen, LCP has started growing its own produce in a greenhouse at its new location. The project was funded by a grant from the Rotary Club of Lancaster-South, which also held a service day in September, during which volunteers helped outfit the greenhouse. Rotary Club members built raised beds, planters and potting tables for growing produce that is now ready for its first harvest. LCP plans to use produce grown at its facility to restock the food pantry, and additional classes will be offered to teach gardening skills.

LCP invites community members to check out its new building during an open house on Friday, Nov. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will include a baked potato bar, tours of the new facility and testimonials from individuals whose lives have been impacted by LCP.

For more information, visit http://www.loftcp.org.