The Essex Area Food Bank is asking for Essex council's help.
Representatives from the food bank will be making a presentation Monday night at the town's council meeting, looking for some assistance in finding a new home.
The food bank is currently operating out of the lower gym area at Essex United Church on Talbot Street South but may have to move within a year.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it operated out of the former Sun Parlour Junior Public School.
Mayor Sherry Bondy says the food bank has been in the town for 35-years and does great work.
"Our Essex Area Food Bank is coming to us saying when they moved into the United Church it was a short term agreement and they're looking for something in our downtown or perhaps an agreement where they can use a town facility or town land where they pay rent but they need something that's really accessible," says Bondy.
She says the food bank is much needed in Essex and she feels the town wants to with work them.
"They serve approximately 80 families each week or 240 people so this is a core service that I hope council listens to what their ask is seeing how we can support them," she says. "Maybe it's us leasing our land or potentially maybe we look at rezoning a facility to accommodate them."
Bondy believes council will ask for a report from administration to be brought back with possible spaces in the town that can be used.
"Accessibility is important, you know not having people run food up and down stairs into a basement is kind of important for the volunteers that are working hard and they do need quite a big space with freezers," says Bondy. "They have a great food bank."
According to Monday's council agenda, the food bank started searching for a new home in Essex Centre prior to the pandemic.
It found three sites along Talbot Street and selected the former Schinkels' Meat location but received a letter from the town stating that food banks are not allowed in the business district.
That's when the food bank entered into a short-term arrangement with the church.
The food bank is asking the town to change its by-law that restricts food bank locations or look at a possible site owned by the town where the food bank can operate out of.