Woman Sets Up Little Free Pantry to Help Those in Need
There is good in this world…
Jessica McClard in Fayetteville, AR, decided to open the Little Free Pantry in her neighborhood, which supplies food and hygiene items to those in need. She said:
“I check on it about once every day because it’s at the church,” McClard told ABC News of the small structure located in front of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville. “I know it turns over in about 30 minutes. That suggests to me that are more people on the demand side than the supply side.”
The hygiene items are the most popular:
“Personal hygiene items for sure,” she explained. “Deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, diapers, feminine hygiene products, paper goods are great too, paper towels and toilet paper. I get asked about high temperatures and whether food could really spoil, but the turnover rate is so high it’s never been a problem.”
McClard also noticed that people have started leaving school supplies in it, too. She’s picked up handmade thank you notes from those who have taken some items.
She set up a webpage and Facebook page for the Little Free Pantry. It allows people to get in touch to donate items and how they can help. It also gives people directions to it.
The idea, even though only a few months old, have inspired others to do the same thing.
She hopes more follow in her footsteps:
“I think the question that it raises is the really interesting thing about this project,” she said. “It forces you to confront the question, ‘What is needed in your life? What is my need?’ It’s been clear to me that for me, the need to give and to do something is significant. I’m hearing that from other people too. There are people who want to help and do something and they just don’t know what to do.”
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Comments
How cute, a little virtue signalling station. Does anybody actually believe that the destitute are going to use this thing?
Oh, man- you almost got me. Lol.
Is being so cynical practices, or does it come naturally for you?
2925 Old Missouri Rd, Fayetteville, AR, if you wish to donate. It seems to be emptied out regularly. Right in front of a Lutheran Church.
Now wait for Daddy Gubmint’s bureaucrats to come in and find fault in it, attach some kind of code violation to it, and shut it down.
Exactly what I was thinking. It’s in Arkansas though, so it may take them a little longer than if it was in a ‘progressive’ northern state.
Exactly This seems to be directly based on those “little free library” things, and our own Kemberley Kaye has told us how those have come under government attack.
I think she would be doing a greater service if she posted neighborhood jobs that were available in her church’s area than giving out small amounts of food. Like the old saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Give a man someone else’s fish, he will vote for you forever.
That does explain the defense contracting industry.
So many churches/parishes around the country have various outreach programs. One example in particular comes to mind.
Awhile back, there was one in Harlem which had a soup kitchen, a food pantry, and a clothing pantry. Their facilities were made available to groups who met regularly for the purpose of dealing with addictions.
They also had visitation teams. With members themselves keeping track of one another, if a person had not been seen for a time, a team would go to check on them, to see about their well-being.
It was inspiring to see their faith in action, by word and deed.