always_sundae (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
always_sundae) wrote2020-01-28 11:57 pm
always_sundae) wrote2020-01-28 11:57 pm
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Little Free Pantry Box Love
[Originally posted to Lavender-Sprinkles on PF]
A year ago, I made a post talking about my love for Little Library Boxes that you often see in parks and other places. Well, now I have discovered a new Little Box movement to love and support, Little Free Pantries.
Isn't this just a really cool idea? Now obviously, it's not a replacement for actual food pantries, but it can be a small nice project for you and your community to work on, like a community garden or the fore-mentioned Library Boxes.
I really like the idea of this because the box can be available 24/7, allowing people to get/give items even outside the normal hours a food pantry might be open and also since they are more likely to be in neighborhoods and parks, may be easier to get to by walking instead of by driving since food pantries are commonly within city limits or downtown areas and not everyone has cars.
The Pantry Box is based on the good faith system so obviously, you want to be sure the placement of the box is in a safe, low vandalism area, but the lack of people monitoring the box can be also be a positive allowing those who have social anxiety, are underage, or are ashamed to still get something. I think also those in highly restrictive abusive situations may be able to get to a Pantry Box a lot easier than a regular food pantry, but that might just be my thinking.
There is actually a website full of helpful info, a photo gallery, and even a guide to creating your own box from wood if you are interested. You can check it out at LittleFreePantry.org
Isn't this just a really cool idea? Now obviously, it's not a replacement for actual food pantries, but it can be a small nice project for you and your community to work on, like a community garden or the fore-mentioned Library Boxes.
I really like the idea of this because the box can be available 24/7, allowing people to get/give items even outside the normal hours a food pantry might be open and also since they are more likely to be in neighborhoods and parks, may be easier to get to by walking instead of by driving since food pantries are commonly within city limits or downtown areas and not everyone has cars.
The Pantry Box is based on the good faith system so obviously, you want to be sure the placement of the box is in a safe, low vandalism area, but the lack of people monitoring the box can be also be a positive allowing those who have social anxiety, are underage, or are ashamed to still get something. I think also those in highly restrictive abusive situations may be able to get to a Pantry Box a lot easier than a regular food pantry, but that might just be my thinking.
There is actually a website full of helpful info, a photo gallery, and even a guide to creating your own box from wood if you are interested. You can check it out at LittleFreePantry.org
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But, like the little libraries that came before them, I wonder about their locations. I've only seen them in fairly prosperous neighborhoods, which makes sense: it's something people with leisure and money tend to create and maintain. And for a good cause: reading is great and also important. But I feel as though the readily available audience, because of the way neighborhoods population sort, tend to be people who already read, already have access to books. The neighborhoods where people desperately need these because they can't get to or don't know about muni libraries...are not where I've ever seen the little libraries.
Maybe this is just the case in the city where I live, but the inequality of this is something that nags at me, makes me wish this energy could go to those deeply in need rather than to those for whom it's a clever amusement.