Who would steal a community pantry filled with non-perishable food, personal hygiene items and cold weather gear? No one would like to know more than Mary Ann Varley.
“My son walked out to the school bus and he called me on the phone, and I initially just started to cry," Varley told ABC7 while seated in her living room. "My daughter walked down and said, ‘Mom what’s wrong?’ And I had her look out the window."
It was three years ago when Varley — a single mother with two teenage children — conjured up the idea of a turnstyle, curbside pantry. It started small, but quickly grew to become a social experiment of goodwill. Then last Thursday evening, a thief —or thieves— stole the pantry, presumably for its value.
Varley posted despairing photos of boxes and cans strewn across her driveway on Facebook. The images generated a barrage of passionate comments from residents of the rural Montgomery County town of approximately 15,000.
“The town has really been amazing," Varley remarked. “It’s really struck a nerve with people.”
In the days since, three carpenters have offered to either build or buy new shelving units for Varley. An acquaintance left a $100 check at her front door, and a GoFundMe account was established, raising more than $1,300 as of Monday evening.
Varley contacted Montgomery County Police Friday afternoon. An officer took a report, but acknowledged that without any eyewitnesses or security cameras in the neighborhood, the case will be very difficult to solve.
“It might happen again, but I think about the hundreds of people that it’s helped over the years, we just have to take that chance," Varley concluded.
