Little Free Pantry

The mini pantry movement activates
neighbor engagement with food insecurity. 

 

The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution
to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give,
mini pantries help feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods. 

29% of those experiencing food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs

To make a donation to Tri-County Alliance’s Little Free Pantry, please drop off non-perishable food items directly to the pantry at our office located at 186 E. Center St., Manchester, CT. If the pantry is full there is an over-flow donation box on the front porch.

Make a monetary donation to help us buy ready-to-make and one-pot meals to stock the pantry, or send us items from our Amazon Wishlist.

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Who is Little Free Pantry for?

LFP is for those who want and/or need to give. LFP is for those not easily able to meet everyday food and personal needs. LFP is for a hungry kid after school or a home cook who forgot to buy an onion. LFP is for everyone.

How does Little Free Pantry differ from other food pantries? 

  1. The LFP is small, limiting its quantity and variety. Bricks-and-mortar food pantries are better at meeting pervasive need, but some fall through the cracks. The LFP is a safety net.
  2. For example, many bricks-and-mortar food pantries require an application. Most have hours of operation. Anyone may access the LFP at any time.
  3. Additionally, bricks-and-mortar food pantries are service providers, those who use them, “clients.” LFP dissolves that professional boundary. Whether giving or taking, everyone approaches the LFP the same way, mediating the shame that accompanies need.
  4. LFP is a centrally-located reminder of our neighbors’ need that creates neighborhood space for exercising compassion, trust, and mutual aid.

For more information on the Little Free Pantry movement, and how to start one in your neighborhood, visit www.littlefreepantry.org