Chances are good you have seen a “little free pantry” or “blessing box” pop up in your local community within the last few years. These boxes are publicly located cupboards that allow people to anonymously donate items to bless others in need. The philosophy of the blessing box is to “give what you can, take what you need.” Donating items to a blessing box is a great (and easy!) way to make a direct impact to those in need in your neighborhood.
If you’ve been curious about donating to your local Little Free Pantry or Blessing Box, here are some tips to help you get started:
Types of items to donate:
Food: Donate only unopened, non-perishable food items, such as canned goods, boxed/bagged rice and pasta, cereal, granola, snack bars, baby formula.
When donating food items, try to keep in mind the local population that may be utilizing the pantry. Is there a school nearby? Donate grab and go snack items kids can easily take such as granola bars. Add ready to eat canned goods with pop-top lids for individuals who may not have access to a kitchen.
Toiletries: Toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, hand sanitizer, baby care items such as diapers, band aids, deodorant, etc.
Kid friendly items: school supplies, crayons, small toys, etc.
Items to avoid:
Perishable foods: Fruits and vegetables, prepared foods- anything that requires refrigeration. If left in the box these foods can go bad, mold and ruin other items in the box.
Expired or opened items.
Homemade food. While it can be tempting to want to care for those in need by cooking or baking, these items are perishable and should not be left in a pantry. If you love to cook and would like to contribute in this way, most homeless shelters have volunteer programs that allow volunteers to help cook and serve meals or even cook at home and bring items to the shelter to be served. (If you are in the mid-ohio area and are interesting in cooking/ serving a meal for a local shelter, Madhukara has monthly volunteer opportunities to cook and serve.)
Clothing or books. Most of the boxes are not large enough to accommodate these items.
Food insecurity both in the US and globally has been on the rise and is expected to increase in the next few years. If you have the means, even adding one canned good or snack to a blessing box can be of great help to someone in need. At Madhukara, we frequently donate items to little free pantries in our community. By donating directly to your own neighborhood pantry, you are part of the Madhukara community. You can also donate items directly to Madhukara to be distributed to those in need at this link.
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