Local internet provider gives Maricopa Pantry expansion $10K boost

Hidden Valley internet provider Ponderosa Broadband last night presented co-founders Jim and Alice Shoaf with a $10,000 check during the food bank’s monthly Neighborhood Networking meeting at Raceway Bar and Grill. The donation will help fund construction of the pantry’s new food storage facility, which is being built to meet rising demand among local families.

“Supporting our community is a core part of who we are,” said Ponderosa General Manager Greg Andreas. “The Maricopa Pantry does incredible work, and we are proud to help strengthen the infrastructure they need to continue serving local families.”

The pantry broke ground last month on an 8,000-square-foot warehouse that will triple its current dry-food storage capacity. The new building will also include an indoor distribution area, office, conference room and restroom.

The expansion comes as the pantry experiences record need. In October, it served an all-time high number of families amid lapsed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Shoaf said the donation means a great deal.

“They’re a great company,” he said. “They handle all the broadband at the pantry, so the pantry is a free Wi-Fi zone. So, people who do not have the ability to use the internet at their own home, they can come to the pantry for free Wi-Fi there.”

The idea for the donation came from Ponderosa’s marketing coordinator.

“My father was a volunteer with the pantry, and I live a block from where they do the distribution,” said Kimberly Dornsife. “So, it means a lot to me to be able to work for a company that is so supportive of an organization that is so deserving. The owners put their money where their mouth is.”

Andreas said the company’s leadership didn’t hesitate.

“When the idea first came up, I took it to the owners. For the last 117 years, they have been doing this type of thing with the communities they serve in California,” he said. “They didn’t even hesitate, they just asked, ‘how much?’ They just wanted to support the community.”

Maricopa Pantry co-founder Alice Shoaf speaks during the food bank's monthly networking event at Raceway Bar & Grill on Dec. 3, 2025. [Monica D. Spencer]