Arkansas

Little Free Pantries Help Denton Neighbors in Need

They're popping up in neighborhoods throughout Denton: wooden boxes along the roadside that look like a birdhouse.

These aren't for the birds though; they're to help people in need.

The nonprofit Serve Denton is installing Little Free Pantries throughout town.

The idea came from another nonprofit in Arkansas that has found success with the "take what you need, give what you can" approach.

They work a lot like the Little Free Libraries that are already in a lot of communities. People can go to the boxes to find non-perishable foods, things like diapers and toilet paper, and other goods that someone might need.

If you need an item, organizers say take it, and if you are able to, they encourage you to donate items for others who may be in need at the moment.

"You don't have to qualify, you don't have to go through any intake process, you don't have to verify your income," said Katelynn Blasavage, from Serve Denton.

So far, Blasavage said a test site in Denton has proven successful, as they'll often find items removed and new items left in their place.

The program helps to fight ongoing issues like food insecurity but also to continue Serve Denton's mission of simply offering up a helping hand to people when they're dealing with tough times.

So far, there are Little Free Pantries outside the Serve Denton headquarters and outside of the Roland Law Office, with several more to be staked throughout the weekend.

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