Flip Top Cans

I have been out of town for a few days and away from my computer.  I THOUGHT I knew what I wanted to sit down and write about this evening now that I am home.  But then I met someone at the Little Yellow Free Pantry who inspired me to tell you something else tonight, something more important. 

There is a meme that has been circulating for a couple years talking about what you “should and shouldn’t” donate to food pantries.  To be honest, it has always bothered me.  One of the things it emphasizes is that you “must” give canned goods that have flip-tops, because “what good is a can of food if the person cannot open it?”.

That premise bothers me.  I had a hard time putting my finger on WHY, but I think it is because it dehumanizes people experiencing food insecurity.  It assumes that they all live on the streets, or in tents, or other places with no access to can openers, let alone kitchens.  But the reality is – many, many people who are food insecure have housing.  They have jobs.  They have kitchens.  They just do not have enough food.  If they can get help in securing food, they can survive and often thrive.

 

But some of the guests who come to the Little Yellow Free Pantry are experiencing homelessness.  They do not have access to refrigerators or stoves or, like the meme infers, they don’t even have access to can openers.  And they are the reason that we always try to have can openers in stock, so that when we see a need, we can hand one out.

 

Tonight when we got home, I filled up the pantry.  Some amazing volunteers filled it while we were away, but it felt good to be back to select the items to put in and to set them carefully on the shelves.  Guests started coming as soon as it was filled, and at one point I was stepping out onto the back porch so that I could pop out to the pantry to see what had been taken and needed to be replaced.

 

A guest saw me under the light of the porch and said hello.  I walked over to greet them and ask if there was enough food inside.

 

“Oh, yes ma’am, there is food in here,” they assured me politely.

 

I didn’t think I had met this person before (but I admittedly have a bad memory).  I asked if there was anything special they would like or needed.

 

“Oh, oh no.  There is food here.  I will take some of this,” they said sweetly, sounding like so many others who come for help – thankful and not wanting to be a bother.  “It’s just…  It needs to have a flip top.”

 

Ahhhhhhhhh. 

 

The flip top.

 

That short sentence – it needs to have a flip top – says so much, doesn’t it?  It says, basically, I am hungry.  I do not have food.  I likely do not have housing.  And, of course, I do not have a can opener.

 

Oh, how I wished I could pop downstairs to the storage area and bring up a can opener like I normally do, but I had given away the last one a week ago.  But I convinced the guest to stay while I ran down and brought up some other items for them to choose from.  I brought up:  pre-cooked cups of rice that can be eaten cold or heated, pre-cooked pasta and pre-cooked meatballs and sauce that come in pouches, a cup of soup that is ready to heat and eat (or eat cold).  Toothpaste and a toothbrush.  A Pop-Tart. Spam.  Tuna.  Fruit cocktail.  Peas – all cans with flip tops.  And a few other items for them to look over.

 

I was happy to see that they had waited for me.  They took a few things (the pre-cooked rice and meatballs were new to them and I think they were excited to try them). 

 

“That is plenty, ma’am.  I do not want to take too much.”

 

I ran inside to grab them a bag since their backpack was already heavy and full. 

 

When I went back outside with the bag, they asked my name.  I told them, and they told me theirs.  The explained that they had just spent their money to go visit their birth state (I am guessing family) and things were very tight right now.

 

“I am re-joining the military,” they said.

 

“Ahhhh, this is a scary time to be doing that…” I said out-loud what I probably should have kept to myself.

 

“Yes ma’am, but it is necessary,” they told me.

 

I looked them in the eyes and said, “Come back anytime.  You are welcome here.  And THANKS.  Thank you for being willing to serve our country”.

 

And just like that, they walked off into the night. 

 

Thank you for the reminder, kind stranger, that flip tops are important for some.  And the reminder that we need more can openers. 

 

Because given the choice of singling people out for needing flip tops, or equaling the playing field even a tiny bit by making sure those who need them get can openers, I choose the can openers every time.

 

And to whoever raised this child:  I wish I could meet you.  I wish I could tell you that you did a good job.  Your child is kind and polite and caring.  They are careful to share with others.  They are working hard to find their path.

 

They are well.

 

And if we can help them even in the slightest, we will. 

 

Because whether it is a flip top can, a can opener, or a genuine conversation, we will give what we can. 

 

Thank you for the reminder, solider.  Thank you for your service.

 

 

If you are able to help us keep the Little Yellow Free Pantry (based in South Arlington, Virginia) filled, currently most needed are:

-          Manual can openers of any sort (we are out)

-          Heat and eat soup in cups (like Campbell’s Chunky Bowls or Sipping Cups) (we have 4 left)

-          Cans of ravioli or spaghetti and meatballs (those also do not need to be cooked) (almost out)

-          Gatorade (any flavor/size) (almost out)

-          Chef Boyardee cups of heat and eat pasta dishes (we are out of these)

-          Cans of Vienna Sausages (we are out)

-          Cans of salmon

-          Cans of corned beef

-          Flip top cans of corn

-          Pre-cooked pasta in pouches

-          Canned tomatoes of any kind

-          Canned potatoes of any kind

 

This is our Amazon wish list, items ordered here ship directly to us:  

 Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List

If you prefer to shop somewhere else and need a shipping address, please email us at:  KindnessActivist@gmail.com .

If you are local to the DC metro and can help out, there is a tan and green plastic bin on our front porch next to the door.  Please drop any donations there instead of directly into the pantry.  They are then brought inside, stored, and put into the pantry as needed.  This system helps us “spread the love” to many guests.  Email us at KindnessActivist@gmail.com if you need the address for drop-off.

 

THANK YOU.  Kindness Activist is a registered 501C3 non-profit organization.

Little Yellow Free Pantry - It Takes a VILLAGE!

Have you ever wondered about who donates to the Little Yellow Free Pantry and why?

Maybe it’s just me 😊 .  After all, I am pretty close to the project.  But I sometimes think, “Out of all of the places that people can donate and help out, how did we get so lucky that they chose the pantry??”.

So, this week, instead of just wondering, I asked! 

A very kind neighbor and frequent donor agreed to answer some questions so I could get to the heart of what drives them to be so kind.  Their answers definitely inspired me and I think they will you, too!  Please check them out.

Some members of the Pantry Crew hard at work :) 

Information about how YOU can get involved and help feed the community is at the end of this piece.

Why do you choose to donate to the Little Yellow Free Pantry?

Oh, so many reasons! The biggest is that I know that not everyone who has food insecurity qualifies for benefits like SNAPs, WIC, and official food banks, and that even if they do, those benefits are pretty meager.  I like that the LYFP includes both staples like beans, rice, soup, etc., and “fun things” like condiments and spices. Also, necessities like soap, shampoo and dishwashing liquid that aren’t covered by SNAPs.

Also, it is easy, because of the online shopping angle and because it’s very close to where I live, so it’s fairly easy to drop off a contribution on most days.

On a personal level, I haven’t had to rely on public assistance (knock on wood), but in my younger years I certainly was helped by friends and family, and I know what it’s like to live on a tight food budget. Not gonna lie, I still can’t open a can of tuna for myself, although I’m happy to donate it.

 

What do you like to donate?  What is your favorite thing to donate?

I like to mix it up! I do like knowing what staples the pantry is urgently short of, so when Susan sends out a list, that guides my choices that week. When it seems like the basics are covered, it’s fun to shop for condiments, spices, and other treats that help make meals more interesting. And sometimes I like to throw in something different -- like a can of beets, sauerkraut or collard greens – that someone might be craving as a change of pace. And I really get a kick out of finding something that isn’t on the list but that turns out to be a hit with the guests.

Note from Kindness Activist:  You are soooo good at mixing it up!  When I see a bag of donations from you, I get excited just wondering what might be in it! 

Sometimes you send things and sometimes you shop locally and bring them over.  Just curious why both methods (I love that it is both ways!).

Well, that gets into my main method for donating. I get points for using a credit card that is tied to my Amazon account, so when I build up a lot of points, I go to the online wish list to cash them in. When I take a vacation or have to shell out for car repair or new glasses, the LYFP benefits! I know, I could use the points for myself, but I don’t really need more stuff, and somehow knowing that I will be able to use the points to help other people makes the cost of that new dental implant less painful. (I know that shopping at Amazon is controversial for a lot of people, but remember that I am getting the pantry food from there free by spending money at other places, so ….)

 

As for the local shop, I enjoy scouting the grocery bargains, and there, too, there are often bonus points in play. This week, for example, buying three cans of black beans, which the pantry seems to always need, earned me some extra bonus points, which can be “spent” on things either for myself of to donate. I like to compare the prices of the local store with Amazon and Costco, for example, and when I can buy locally for less, I try to do that. The local supermarket specials also can inspire what I donate that week.

Note from Kindness Activist:  this act of generosity makes my heart so happy.  As you said, you totally COULD use those points for things for yourself.  The fact that you choose to use them to be kind…  You are amazing.  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

How does it make you feel to help out the pantry?

It’s fun! I really do use it as retail therapy at times, but deeper than that, it’s an expression of gratitude for the life I have enjoyed. And I do like thinking about the person who gets a reprieve from worrying about how to feed their kids that day or who gets to have a different flavor than usual.

Note from Kindness Activist:  we feel the same way!!  Knowing that the pantry helps spice up someone’s day and fill bellies makes us feel GOOD.

Ever met a pantry guest when you came over or see someone getting food at the LYFP?

A couple of times there has been someone getting food at the pantry. I don’t put things right into the pantry unless Susan asks me to (!), but once when she did, I did quietly offer some things to a man who was perusing the selection, but I tried not to make a big deal if it because if I were in his position, I wouldn’t want someone making a big deal of it.

 

Anything else you would like to say?

I have learned a lot by paying attention to what Susan says the pantry guests need. I hadn’t, for example, thought about the number of people who do have housing but don’t have much in the way of cooking facilities, so that they really do need foods that are microwaveable or otherwise simple to prepare. I do try to donate a variety of things for people in different situations: People who can cook in kitchens and need ingredients, people who don’t have full kitchen access but have some way to heat foods, and people who really don’t have a way to store or cook much of anything.

I know that there will always be someone who grabs the convenience food even if they don’t really “need-need” it – although most of us occasionally reach for convenience food – and there will probably always be someone who doesn’t need free food at all but takes it anyway. I worked in an office where there were always a few of those people. But that doesn’t outweigh, to me, the benefits of helping the people who do need what’s in the LYFP.

 

I also would like to remind people that they don’t have to donate foods that they don’t agree with or believe in, whether that’s meat or sugar or GMO or whatever. I’m not interested in donating toaster pastries or sugary drinks, so I don’t. I get that kids like them, but I’ll spend my money (and points) on other stuff, and that’s ok. Someone else might not want to donate pork products like Spam, and that’s ok. Donate what resonates with you, and someone will want it!

Note from Kindness Activist:  the Pantry has taught the Pantry Crew a LOT, too!  Like you said, we hadn’t thought about the people who have a roof over their head but no access to a kitchen.  In our community, many people rent rooms in homes, and some of those rentals do not come with a shared kitchen.  We also went into this project with the (wrong) assumption that most of the guests who come to use the pantry would not have housing.  While we DO have guests experiencing homelessness, we also have many who have housing but not enough money left over after paying rent to put food on the table.   We have lots of guests who come after working long shifts, too.  They are productive, contributing members of our community who just need a little assistance.  Thanks for helping give them that!!

And there you have it!!  An interview with an amazingly kind human who supports Kindness Activist and the Little Yellow Free Pantry!!

If you would like to get involved and help out, we would be so very grateful.  As of June 13, 2025, the most needed items are:

     ·      Canned meat of any kind

·      Canned vegetables of any kind

·      Single serving boxes or cups of cereal of any kind (we are out of these)

·      Salt and/or pepper

·      Shampoo and/or conditioner (full sized bottles please)

·      Single serving drinks of any kind – we go through a lot of these, and now that it is hot they will go even faster (we have enough milk and water, need any other kind)

·      Condiments of any kind (mustard, soy sauce, mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, etc. – full size please, not restaurant size packets)

 

If you live in the metro DC area and would like to shop and deliver items, please place them in the tan and green plastic bin on our front porch.  We will bring them inside and store them until they are placed in the pantry.  Please do not put them directly in the pantry.  This system allows us get food to more people and ensure variety for all.  If you need the address for drop-off message me or email:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com . 

If you would like to order online and have items shipped, any store is great!  If you need our shipping address please reach out.

If you would like to order from the Amazon wish list for the pantry, items will ship directly to us.  That list can be found here:  LYFP Wish List

Returning to "Normal"

We have been away from our home in South Arington for a bit over 2 months.  Time away is precious and honestly, hard to come by.  But I have come to realize the importance of it for rejuvenation and self-care.  And also - to give us space and time to get work done. 

 

Since we have been out of town, we have completed sooooo much Kindness Activist WORK!  Like, the behind-the-scenes things that take a ton of time and are hard to do at home.  Scheduling, calculating, writing – all of the things.  Because you see, when I am in South Arlington, I am SPREADING KINDNESS!  I just love to do, do, do – and I get so caught up in the doing that sometimes the organizing and details can fall behind.  So, this time away has been good for checking many, many Kindness Activist things off the to-do list.

 

But, like all escapes from reality for the last 3 ½ years, it was hard to sneak away.  You see, ever since the Little Yellow Free Pantry was established, we can’t just leave town on a moment’s notice.  No – we need to put a plan in place before we can go out of town.  Because food insecurity is REAL, and people know that the LYFP is a safe, non-judgmental place to come get what they need.  But if we skip town without a plan, then that resource disappears for the guests.

 

Enter….  THE PANTRY CREW!  They are the hard-working group of amazing adults and kids who pitch in and keep everything afloat while we are gone.  They bring donations inside our home into the storage area.  They unbox and organize them.  They sort everything.  They let me know what we are running low on. They fill the pantry.  And they assist guests when they see them.  It is a big ask – they volunteer their time and muscles – and we really appreciate it.  Thank you, Pantry Crew!!

 

Well, my partner David went home today.  I will be back in Arlington in a few days, but he went home today to start the semester teaching.  And he had not been home more than an hour or two when the doorbell rang.

 

Now, that is not surprising really.  Guests ring the bell to see if we have something they might need, donors ring the bell to drop things off, and sometimes people just come up to the door to say hello or, “WHAT IS THIS PLACE – A SHOP?  AN OFFICE?  A HOUSE???”.

 

So today, very shortly after David got home (before he was even settled in), the bell rang.  He answered it and got to meet some new people.  He texted me this:

 

“...aaaaaand we're back in the game...I was working on the Kindness Activist forms, and someone came to the door.  It was a guy who is driving a lady in a wheelchair around, trying to find the Little Free Pantry that she heard about when she was looking online for places to get food. She is a former secretary for the Navy, now retired.  She has breast cancer, and her retirement pay has ended.  So, she's having trouble making ends meet between Social Security checks.”

 

Let that sink in.

 

She is retired.

Has cancer.

And is Googling places to get food to help her get enough food to eat between Social Security checks.

 

Breaks my heart.

 

David sat out on the front steps and chatted with her.  She held a big umbrella to shade the sun, which can be especially harsh when you are on chemo.  David took the woman and the driver around to the side of the house and showed them the pantry.  He took her bag inside and returned it to her filled with food.  She was hoping for milk, but he explained that because he just got back there were no perishables yet.

 

She is going to come back another day.  I am looking forward to meeting her.  I will pass along some other resources that the community offers in case she is unaware of them and not signed up for them yet. 

 

But mostly - I hope to get time to sit down and talk with her.  Listen to her story, encourage her with her cancer treatment.  I don’t know for sure, but I am guessing that she does not have friends or family to help out.  I mean, if she did, I would hope they would be delivering meals or groceries now as she is in a fragile spot both medically and financially.

 

So yes, food insecurity is real.  And it can happen to anyone.  If this woman isn’t an example of that, I don’t know what is.

 

Because everyone deserves good food. 

 

P.S. – the faces in the photo are blurred (it’s not your eyes, it is the photo 😊 )

 

P.P.S. – if you would like to pitch in items for the Little Yellow Free Pantry, our wish list of needed items can be found here:  Kindness Activist Wish List

Kindness Ripples From A Stranger

Who would think that unpacking boxes of donated food could make a person cry…

And yet this evening, it has.

I was out of town over the weekend and the Pantry Crew took over pantry duty for me.  They are a crack bunch of humans who bring in donations and fill the pantry.  You see, since the LYFP has been in existence for 2 ½ years now, people have come to rely on it and know that if they need something, it is a resource.  So, when we are not here to take care of it, the Pantry Crew takes over.

As I was waiting for my Lyft to take me to the airport on Thursday, the Amazon driver stopped and dropped off some boxes.  I rushed to put them inside before jumping in my ride.  And the Pantry Crew brought more boxes that arrived while I was gone.  Now that I am back home, I have begun the task of opening boxes and putting the donations onto the storage shelves.

And that’s what brought me to tears…

People are donating in memory of E.A. Raven.

 

I told the story of this amazing human last week.  She was the “patron saint” of the Little Yellow Free Pantry – a complete stranger who must’ve heard about Kindness Activist by reading about us in the Washington Post or seeing the story about us on “On The Road With Steve Hartman”.  However she heard about our mission, she supported it wholeheartedly and gave very, very generously.  When her sister, another stranger to me, reached out to tell me that she had died, I cried.

 

And this evening donations coming in bearing her name made me tear up again.

 

Cheesy mashed potato cups.  Go-Go Squeeze.  Toilet paper.  A summer sausage. Shelf stable meals.  Soup.  Maple Flavored Spam…  And more.

 

All in memory of E.A. Raven.

May her generosity and commitment to making the world a better place continue to create kindness ripples near and far. 

Thanks, E.A. Raven.  Your work continues.  You are remembered.

(If you would like to donate items to the Little Yellow Free Pantry, the Amazon wish list is here:  Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List

You can sort the list by priority (high to low) to see what is most needed. 

What is urgent as of November 6 is jars of peanut butter of any brand and type (we are out), cans of vegetables and fruit, cake mixes of any brand and flavor (we are out), and shelf stable meals (like Hormel Compleats or something similar – we go through a lot of those). 

THANK YOU.

 

 

 

 

Salmon and Honey

When people stop to peruse the Little Yellow Free Pantry, because of the way it is situated, often I can only see their legs and feet.  Some legs and feet I recognize, others I do not.  So, today when I saw some unknown legs and feet, I popped outside to see who was there.

It turned out to be someone who hadn’t been to the pantry before.  I kept my distance so as not to frighten her and said, “Hello!” cheerfully.  She stepped to the side of the box and we could see one another.  She was a young-ish woman, very thin, who looked a bit scared and confused.

I approached with a smile and welcomed her.  She had a bag of chips in her hand that she had found in the pantry.  I asked her if there was other food she would like and explained that I would run inside and get it for her if there was.

She was shy and a bit overwhelmed I think.  “No, no, this is ok,” she said, showing me her tiny bag of chips. 

Then she asked what she must have been wondering, “WHAT IS THIS?  Why?  And why so GENEROUS?”.  Her English had a tell-tell accent that let me know this was not her first language, and that made it clear that culturally she had never seen a sight like the Little Yellow Free Pantry.

Her questions were not easy to answer, really.  Not to a skeptical soul.  But I tried.  “Because in this neighborhood, we believe that EVERYONE belongs, and that we all should have good food,” I tried.  Her eyes showed the trust had still not been gained.  “This food is not from ME,” I explained, “It is from EVERYONE,” (I gestured largely, though could never gesture large enough to explain to her that food arrives from strangers around the entire country who support this massive project).  “Everyone together gives.  Many people here do not have food to eat.”

This fact seemed to surprise her.  I could see the wheels spinning in her head and the lightbulb go off – YOU MEAN I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE?

“People visit all day, every day.  In the night, too!  If you come at night, the light will turn on so you can see the food,” I told her.  “Really???  But WHY?” she asked, her head still swirling with this strange concept.

Her “why” was not a question of “why do people need food”, but WHY DID THEY FIND IT IN THIS STRANGE YELLOW BOX ON A BUSY CORNER??

I smiled.  “Because.  Because here, in this community, we work together.  If we have food, we share.  If we do not have food, we come here to get some.  We work together.”

Eventually we built up enough trust that she was willing to tell me that she needed some canned fish.  I ran inside and returned with a basket full of items for her to choose from – an American mistake…  The trust that had been delicately built cracked when I handed her a bag and explained that she could put the items inside it to carry.

“No, no no!!!  Too much!!” she quickly objected.

Damn, why hadn’t i just gotten a couple cans of fish and started out slowly?  Sigh. 

I held up the can of salmon.  She smiled and let out a quiet “yes”.  Tuna?  Smile.  “Enough!  Enough!” she exclaimed. 

I quietly raised the bottle of honey.  “Honey??” I offered.  “Well, I do like honey…” she said quietly as a bit more of her guard dropped.

In the end she let me put a few items in the bag, including a can opener that she needed.  She said that she wanted to help me – what help could she offer?  She explained that she and her son are living in a hotel room but she is hunting for an apartment.  That hunt is proving difficult though, because the places she has checked will not let the two of them share a studio, which is what her budget would allow.  And in the meantime, the hotel is eating away at their funds.

I hope to see her again.  I am bad with names, so I have jotted hers down to try and remember it.  I told her I would love her help and that next time I see her walk by I may have a task for her to do.

In the meantime, she and her son will have fish tonight.  And honey.  And perhaps a bit more trust in this strange new world they are calling home.

 

If you would like to help keep the Little Yellow Free Pantry stocked, we would be grateful and honored.  Donations of shelf-stable, unopened, unexpired food are always welcome, as are full-sized toiletries (no medicines).  We are currently very low on:

-         Peanut butter (any kind)

-         Honey

-         Toothpaste (full sized tubes)

-         Jelly (any flavor)

-         Pop-Tarts (any flavor)

-         Ketchup

-         Soy sauce

-         Mustard

-         Relish

-         Mayonnaise

-         Cans of salmon

-         Spaghetti-Os

-         Cake mix

-         Jars of pickles (any kind)

-     Boxes of Jell-O (any flavor)

If you are local to the DC metro area, donations for the LYFP can be left in the tan and green plastic bin on our front porch near the front door.  If you are not local and would like to order via Amazon, please check out our wishlist here: LYFP Wishlist  . Anything ordered there will ship directly to our home and be put in the pantry storage area, then moved to the LYFP as needed. 

 

 

 

Roadtrip Kindness

My partner David and I have embarked on a little ROAD TRIP!  And as fun as it is to hop in the car and DRIVE, exploring new places – it also means I am neglecting my duties at the Little Yellow Free Pantry.

Luckily, we have a crack PANTRY CREW that steps in while I am not there!! 

You see, the Little Yellow Free Pantry runs on a bit of a different system than most Free Pantries and Free Libraries.  Usually, when you see a “pantry out in the wild”, it is dependent upon community members to physically FILL IT UP.  People bring cans of vegetables and bags of rice and beans and boxes of pasta and physically put in IN THE PANTRY.

But since the inception of the Little Yellow Free Pantry two years ago, we have run it on a different model.  We treat the LYFP as more of a grocery store than a random pantry.  We organize it the same each time we fill it – 2 cans of meat on the left front corner of the top shelf, canned goods filling the rest of the top shelf.  Snacks in the small box on the bottom shelf, 2 single servings of fruit on the front left corner of the bottom shelf, rice and pasta on the bottom shelf, etc.  I like to keep the system consistent so that visitors to the LYFP have a general idea of where to find what they need.  It’s just like when you go to the grocery store – if you are there often, you know which aisle to look for toilet paper in, right? 

But to keep the pantry running with that system, instead of donors putting their items directly into the LYFP, we ask that they place items in a large bin on our front porch.  Or have them delivered via Amazon or another mail order service.  Then we (David, me, or a pantry crew member) carries all of those donations down to our pantry storage area, where they are sorted.  The storage area is quite organized – like a grocery store stockroom!  Canned meat in one area, drinks in another, cake mix in another, toiletries in another…  It is hard work carrying everything down and shelving it, but it makes it much easier when I go to fill the pantry (which is currently about 7 times per day), because I know exactly where to find what is needed.

So, while we are away, the beloved Pantry Crew takes over and keeps things running smoothly for Pantry visitors.  I am so thankful for that crew!! 

But here’s a secret:  I miss the LYFP when we are gone!  I miss the guests I have come to know.  I miss opening the boxes of donations and sorting them.  And I miss carrying out my wicker basket full of things to refill the pantry.

So, maybe that is why when we pulled into Asheville, North Carolina and passed a Little Free Pantry outside of Grace Baptist Church, my heart was happy.  Only, when we drove by a second time, I realized that it was nearly completely empty…  Not only that – it was in bad shape.  The plexiglass (maybe glass??) in the door was missing. 

Blessing Box - in need of repair, but more than that, 
IN NEED OF FOOD!

We don’t have the tools or supplies with us to replace the plexiglass, but we COULD stock the pantry!  So we took a trip to Aldi!  It was so fun to fill the cart with a wide variety of items (and because it was Aldi, we got much more for our money, they have great prices!).

 

Cart full of food for the Blessing Box

We took our haul back to where we had seen the pantry (which they called a Blessing Box), and the situation was even worse than it had looked from the road.  The Box needed the plexiglass repaired and a good cleaning.  And the only things on the shelves were 2 cans of food and a single tea bag…  Sad. There seems to be a lot of need in that community.

 

We carefully filled the shelves while we shivered in the cold.  Tiny snowflakes were even falling!  Even without a cleaning or new paint, the Blessing Box looked much happier just being filled!

 

MUCH BETTER!!

I hope that members of the community who need the food find it.  And I hope that members of the community who have more than they need will fill that box up again and again. 

 

Because everybody deserves good food.

 

Please seek out Little Free Pantries or Blessing Boxes in your community.  Donate an item or two.  If everyone pitches in, the shelves stay full, and neighbors do not go hungry.  If you would like to donate to the Little Yellow Free Pantry, our Amazon wishlist is here:  LYFP Amazon Wishlist

Kindness Activist funds used:  $88.26