One little note made Tanya Prokop realize she had made a wise decision in having a Little Free Pantry at her Ralston home.
“There was a note from a little boy and it said “thank you,” Prokop said. “I immediately went out and got more kid items to put in there.”
A dozen Little Free Pantries are in use around the metro area. The pantries are about 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall and contain food and other items for those in need. People are also encouraged to drop items off in the pantries.
Prokop said she saw a television story about the Little Free Pantry and contacted Vicki Holcomb, who along with her husband, Steve, have been instrumental in getting pantries placed throughout the area.
Prokop said their pantry at 7704 Sunset Drive has been up and running for about a month. She said activity has been on the upswing as of late.
“At the beginning, we saw very little activity,” she said. “But I think through word of mouth and some Facebook postings, we’ve seen it pick up over the last couple of weeks.
“We’re seeing more kids come by, so we’ve tried to put out items like fruit snacks, Pop Tarts and crackers. They might just come by and take one item, so they’re not greedy.”
Having her own 3-year old son, Archer, Prokop said knowing the pantry is providing help to children is the most rewarding.
“We have a lot of kids that pass through our neighborhood and you’re not sure if some of them know where their next meal is coming from,” she said. “If there’s a need, we want to be a part of it and if kids win, that makes me happy.”
The Holcombs began building and placing pantries around the Omaha area in April. Several of their pantries are at churches while others are in residential areas. Pantries in Ralston and Papillion are their most recent additions.
“There was definitely a need for this,” Vicki said. “Food pantries only keep certain hours and they make you show social security numbers and financial information and we want the Little Free Pantry to be something that has no shame attached. It’s made to be a stop gap if you need something to get you through a few days if you’re struggling.”
Holcomb said many of the pantries have been immediate successes.
“Some of them we can’t keep stocked fast enough,” she said. “That’s why we’re looking for sponsors to help keep them filled.
“The need has been crazy. We’re always looking for easy to fix items like Easy Mac or Ramen. And Pop Tarts are great for kids.”
Each pantry costs about $200 to $250 to construct. Vicki and Steve do the the majority of the work, and they enlist the help of some local artists to spruce them up before they go in a yard.
Much of the cost comes out of the Holcombs’ pocket, although Vicki said they have received a few donations along the way. She is aiming for Little Free Pantry to gain nonprofit status.
Vicki said she his grateful for people like the Prokop’s who have opened their arms for these pantries.
“We didn’t even know these people and they contact us and are willing to put one in their yard,” she said. “I think it’s a way for people to give back.”
Prokop said she and her husband have been responsible for re-stocking their pantry, but she also received several bags of canned food items from the Holcombs and that a co-worker has also donated items.
Prokop said along with food items, she will also stock the pantry with winter items like gloves and hats as the weather begins to turn.
“We hope it’s something that really takes off.”
