Help stock a local food pantry

July 10, 2020

In July of 2018, Girl Scout Troop 6899 used a grant from Community Forklift’s Community Building Blocks program to create a food pantry near the entrance to the St. Jerome Catholic Church parking lot at 5205 43rd Ave. in Hyattsville, MD.

The grand unveiling of the Blessing Box in July of 2018

Using a Community Forklift cabinet and building supplies, the Troop created The Blessing Box, a Little Free Pantry concept. A Little Free Pantry uses the familiar idea of a Little Free Library and works to battle against local food insecurity. It offers a place where neighbors can come together to meet neighborhood needs, whether food or other household necessities.

After their annual fundraiser was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Girl Scout Troop needs the help of friends, neighbors, and local businesses to keep it stocked, as the demand far outpaces their ability to keep it full. 

SUGGESTED SHOPPING LIST

The Troop asks for non-perishable canned vegetables and proteins, beans, rice, pasta, personal care items, and paper goods (non-food items go in the bottom of the Blessing Box). They also like to include kid-friendly school supplies at the end of August, too!

  1. canned or dried beans
  2. peanut butter, or other nut butter
  3. rolled oats
  4. canned fruit in juice
  5. canned vegetables, tomatoes, stews, and soups
  6. canned tuna or chicken in water
  7. rice and quinoa
  8. nuts and seeds, unsalted
  9. shelf-stable milk and milk substitutes
  10. pasta and pasta sauce (no glass jars please)
  11. apple sauce
  12. macaroni and cheese box dinners
  13. olive or canola oil
  14. dried fruits
  15. baby food
  16. chicken, beef, and vegetable broths and stock
  17. diapers and female hygiene products
  18. personal care items (toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo)
  19. toilet paper and paper towels
  20. bottled water
  21. pet food
  22. school supplies
  23. funds to repair, maintain, and buy bulk items to stock the pantry

BLESSING BOX RULES

  • take what you need, give what you can
  • please donate unexpired and unopened food and toiletries
  • no jars or glass (broken glass is dangerous)
  • no chocolate or food that can melt
  • no fresh fruit or vegetables (seems counter intuitive, but they attract insects and make a mess)  
  • please make sure cabinet doors are closed to protect items from elements and animals
  • If there is damage to the pantry, please notify the troop leader at dinacolin@netzero.net.

Thanks to all that have supported the pantry these last two years! Please reach out to the troop leader at dinacolin@netzero.net with any questions or contribution inquiries.

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Every time you donate or shop at Community Forklift, you’re helping us lift up local communities through reuse.  We turn the construction waste stream into a resource stream for communities in the DC region – by keeping perfectly good items out of the landfill, preserving historical materials, providing low-cost building supplies, and creating local green jobs.