Little Free Pantry offers food for those in need - Independent Tribune

Little Free Pantry offers food for those in need - Independent Tribune

CONCORD- Take what you need. Give what you’re able.

These words are painted at the bottom of Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church’s new Little Free Pantry. The community-sponsored project opened this month and sits in the church parking lot for anyone that finds themselves in need of a meal or personal care items.

The idea came from a Facebook post about little food pantries that church member Monica Matthews shared. Another member, Chris Detsch, commented on the post and said he could build a pantry if the church was interested.

So they brought the idea to the church’s council and it was officially approved in February.

“We have a lot of people coming by the church and looking for gift cards and what-not, but the office isn’t staffed all the time,” Matthews said. “So it’s the perfect place if you need something for dinner and there’s nobody here, you can go there and get some food and make yourself dinner.”

After his wife found the base of the pantry at Habitat for Humanity, Detsch and his son put it together, painted it, waterproofed and made it weather-tight to protect the items inside.

The concept is similar to the little free libraries that have been popping up across the county. With the libraries, people can take a book they want to read but they are encouraged to replace it with another book.

According to the Little Free Library initiative’s website, the movement is a grassroots, crowd-sourced solution to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, pantries facilitate neighbors helping neighbors and build community.

The food and items are available in the pantry for those in need, but those that can give back are encouraged to restock it.

Items in the pantry include non-perishable foods, diapers, baby wipes, toilet paper, toothpaste and soap.

“The idea is if someone needs something they can stop by and they can look in the pantry and say ‘Ooh I needed diapers and I left everything at home. I’ll take Pampers.” And then maybe the next week that person will stop by and drop baby wipes off or something like that,” Reverend Carrie Bishop said. “Or just if you need, you take. If you can, you give. It’s just to build our community.”

The pantry is located at 3600 Highway 601 South. Anyone who wishes to donate items can place them inside the pantry, or if it’s full they can drop the items off in front of the church’s office.