Local food pantry offers safe space for all

Inland Oasis in Moscow, Idaho, is tucked behind a tax office and a smoke shop in a small strip mall. On a Tuesday afternoon, there was a line of people waiting for the food pantry to open. Inside was volunteer Sally Perrine, who’s there about once a week.

“I like to help,” Perrine said. “… I’m well aware that there’s a lot of deep poverty in this community.”

Inland Oasis prides itself on being accepting of all people, regardless of mobility, sexual orientation or identity. Oasis is also an acronym, which stands for open, accepting, safe, inclusive and supportive.

“For us, our core mission is to provide community support and education to the queer community on the Palouse,” said Megan Stedman, communications director at Inland Oasis.

For the nonprofit to be able to serve the community, Inland Oasis relies on the support of volunteers. Pantry director and manager Janna Jones encourages people to volunteer, even if it’s just once for a couple of hours.

“This is a great way to touch people that you might never have contact with. Just two hours in the pantry, and you can make a difference in somebody’s life,” she said.

In addition to the food pantry, Inland Oasis also offers support to those questioning or struggling with their identity. That often starts with a conversation at one of the many social events the nonprofit holds.

“We’ve definitely had some folks who are contemplating who they are, become more accepting of who they are,” Stedman said. “Even if we can’t tell them what to do, we just want to be able to listen, and offer them a hug if they need it. And we want to be a safe place for them to go.”

For Stedman, connections, friendships and relationships are at the core of what Inland Oasis does. She says the more they can let people know they’re available for support, the more lives can be saved.

“Because there are still a lot of people out there who are ending their own lives because of rejection. And so if we can be a positive voice in a sea of negativity, we want to be as loud as we can be,” Stedman said.

This story is part of a continuing series highlighting nonprofits in the Northwest.