Pantries! Betcha thought I was going to say libraries. Those, too, but the latest “pass it on and pay it forward” movement is all about food (and occasionally toilet paper). I first read about Little Free Pantries popping up in Seattle, but Googling the term brought up dozens of hits. There’s even a Little Free Pantry website that maps the locations of pantries throughout the country.
Some folks are repurposing existing Little Free Libraries, while others are building new ones or making use of unused furniture. Most pantries stock nonperishable food; some add personal hygiene products, diapers, and even small toys. And in case animals are ever hungry, there’s a Pet Food Blessing Box in Jackson, Kentucky.
It seems the pantries have been around for several years, but are gaining popularity as people see neighbors in need. Molly Harmon, the Seattle woman I first read about, has had a Little Free Pantry for almost six years. She recently received a small grant to build six more, but had so many requests that she started a GoFundMe page to raise money for materials for 20 more—and got all of her funding within a day. “A Little Free Pantry helps your neighbor, and I believe it takes a village to support our neighbors,” Harmon told the Seattle Times. “Little Free Pantries will never fix food insecurity, but it will support a neighbor. And in these times, it is essential that we do a little something to support each other.”