Stocked with food items to help residents in times of need, Meeker County’s first mini pantry was created, and dedicated, with the assistance of Litchfield area youth last month.
The new mini pantry, installed outside of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel, will be stocked with non-perishable items by willing community members, as they are able, and items made available to anonymous individuals and families in need, according to Dena Carlson, the truancy intervention worker for Meeker County who helped to facilitate the community service project.
No paperwork nor application is required to take food items from the mini pantry, though volunteers hope those who use it will in turn help others in need when they are able. Community members, Carlson said, “are encouraged to take what they need and leave what they can.”
Carlson’s department recently formed the Litchfield Area Student Leadership Group. Including youth/young adults from the communities of Litchfield, Grove City, and Dassel, the group aims to give back to the communities served by the county’s social services division.
The leadership group partnered with Youth Build of Willmar and the youth group at Gethesame Lutheran Church this fall to create the county’s first-known mini pantry, which will “assist those who require a little help from their neighbors to get by in lean times,” Carlson said.
This holiday season, the leadership group also rang bells for the Salvation Army and shopped for those in need, Carlson said.
Through the partnership of the three groups of youth, the mini pantry was realized. It was dedicated Dec. 11 and installed next to the church the following Wednesday.
Students in Litchfield Area Leadership Group learn how to become leaders, Carlson said. The group has several areas in which they focus their weekly time together. Students address academic support and attendance, independent leadership skills, employment and work ethic, social skills and giving back to strengthen their communities and beyond.
The individuals in the group voted on possible projects and selected the mini pantry. They were then able, through Central Minnesota Jobs and Training, to partner with Youth Build, a group supported by the Minnesota Department of Labor and comprised of area youth interested in learning about construction trades and post-secondary options while helping those in need.
The Litchfield Area Student Leadership Group then made a presentation to the church council, requesting that the church — specifically its youth — partner in the community service project. Tina Schenk, a church member and employee of Meeker County Social Services, agreed to be the point person at Gethsemane.
Those who wish to donate items to the pantry are asked to consider contributing one to two dry goods in lieu of canned goods during the winter months. Donations can be placed inside the pantry 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help meet the needs of the community.
Monetary donations may be sent to: Gethsemane Lutheran Church, P.O. Box C, Dassel MN 55325. Please note that the donation is for the mini pantry in the memo line.
As part of their efforts to make a difference in their communities, the leadership group expects to partner with others in Meeker County for the placement of additional mini pantries, as well as other local projects.
For further information about the Litchfield area student youth group, contact Dena.Carlson@co.meeker.mn.us. For more information about the Youth Build program, contact Jen Carl at the Litchfield Workforce Center.
