10/08/2023
I needed a few days to breathe, reflect, and focus before posting a proper goodbye from the Lil' Pantry. Three years ago, I put a small food pantry in front of my home to feed two little girls who were constantly hungry in my immediate neighborhood. As all of you know, it grew into a much larger mission that I could not manage alone.
Please know that, yes, some unfortunate circumstances led to the closure of the pantry, but I do not want to discuss them at this time. Someday, maybe. But the decision was mine, and nobody forced me to close. Am I sad? INCREDIBLY. But it was the right decision for me and my family.
I want to thank everyone who donated over the years. Whether you dropped off a few hygiene products once or bags and bags of groceries regularly, you made someone's life better. There were a few dedicated donors who I couldn't have survived without. I won't name names directly, but a woman who keeps my back straight was our #1 supporter and filled more bellies than anyone else. A couple who once sat around a campfire with us was our #2 supporter and supplied us with more canned meat than anyone else. Another couple set several bags on the porch EVERY week and fed LOTS of cats, dogs, and humans. The First Congregational United Church of Christ was the only church that supported us regularly. A woman from Florida sent what she could almost monthly, and a couple whose name rhymes with awesome were, well, awesome. Tiny Christian Star Academy helped us through two holiday seasons, and the Eastern Star ladies were phenomenal. Another woman came every week with a Smithheisler bag full of items. All of you know who you are! I could go on and on, thanking everyone from little pageant winners to folks who just shoved what they could through the slot in the pantry after taking some food. I love all of you, truly, and I can't fully express my gratitude.
But the person who filled the pantry, day in and day out, along with my family, was Dorothy. Many of you interacted with her over the years or saw her out on the sidewalk, going back and forth, back and forth, all day long. She slept at our home when we had to be out of town to manage that pantry, and she was as dedicated as I was to helping everyone in need. She feels as lost and as sad as I do at the moment!
Hunger will never end, so it can seem like an endless, thankless endeavor to fight something that you can't conquer. But rather than getting overwhelmed, narrow your focus to one person, family, or child, and you WILL realize that your generosity will change lives.
And that brings me full circle to the reason I started the pantry in the first place: hungry children. On Friday, two little girls who have been thankful for the pantry brought these pictures to my door, and I'm sure they had no idea how significant that was to me since two other little girls were the reason I began the pantry in the first place!
Life is hard. Please be kind. And while I no longer have a physical pantry in front of my home, I am here. Just knock on the door, Mount Vernon. Just knock on the door.
