“I know Home Depot loves helping people,” said Christina Kihn, director of the Center of Charity.

“They do so much within the community already. So, I approached Jerry Plohocky,” Kihn said.

Plohocky is the community captain of Home Depot Alpena.

“He’s helped me build the grants to get the shelving units in this building,” Kihn said of Plohocky. “He really, really is an amazing person.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Christine Kihn, director of the All Saints Center of Charity, stands by one of the new shelving units donated by The Home Depot on Tuesday.

She is so grateful for his help, and the generosity of The Home Depot.

“It’s been such an amazing opportunity that they’ve provided for us, because we’d like to expand as much as we can,” said Kihn, adding that the units are easy to assemble, disassemble, and move. The units are 90 inches by 90 inches by 27 inches.

“The Home Depot, being there to supply those shelving units, it’s kind of like a nice warm feeling, because you know that they care, and you know that the people who walk in here are going to continue getting what they need, and even more,” Kihn said.

Kihn explained all the services available through the Center of Charity.

“The Center of Charity is the building,” Kihn explained. “The building houses four different areas … the Community Center, the Friendship Room, the Baby Pantry, and the Children’s Closet.”

She explained why the Friendship Room needed the shelving units.

“With the Friendship Room, kind of, being the heart, we are trying to get as much food as we can here,” Kihn said. “Randy (MacAulay) is so amazing. He’s the director of the Friendship Room. … We’re going to make sure he has what he needs in order to make it better.”

“My job is to help build and expand this,” she said of the Center of Charity. “This is definitely the first step of many.”

The next steps will include upgrades to the Baby Pantry and the Community Center.

“We’re doing the best, right now, with what we have, but we need to expand,” Kihn said. “I would hate for anybody in Alpena to go hungry. That would be so devastating.”

She explained that having a shared meal at the Friendship Room is more than just filling your belly. It fills your heart.

“A lot of the elderly who come into the Friendship Room, they come not only for the food, but for the companionship, and that companionship helps them through their day to make it to the next day,” Kihn said. “They’re so excited to come back and be with friends. And that’s what the community needs is more community.”

She reiterated the mission of the Center of Charity.

“As the Center of Charity, that’s what we’re here for, is to help people,” Kihn said. “Every person that comes through our doors, we will never, ever ask for a dime from them. Everything in this building is free. Free clothing, free shoes, free meals … everything that they get here is free. There’s nowhere else in Alpena that does all that we do, for free … We welcome everybody.”