Pantry for All Souls
The pantry is a way for All Souls congregants and neighbors to donate and receive free grocery goods. The pantry is stocked by all of us, for all of us. And we need your help!
Volunteer as a Pantry Steward
Stewards help keep the pantry clean and in good working order. Pantry stewards go by the pantry 2 or 3 times per month, remove anything that shouldn’t be in the pantry, and note what supplies are in the pantry when they’re there. Each steward visit takes just 10 minutes, and the schedule is flexible. Email Maya Hermann at apantryforallsouls(at)gmail.com to sign up.
Take what you need. Walk by the pantry and see something you need? Take it! Supplies in the pantry are there for anyone who needs them, no questions asked.
Give what you can. If you have some extra non-perishable food, personal care items, or cleaning supplies, drop them by the pantry any time. All donations can simply be placed in the cabinets. If you’d like to donate but won’t be at the church building soon, you can purchase items from our Amazon wish list. Select “Little Free Pantry” as the delivery address and they’ll be delivered to a volunteer who will take them to the pantry.
Picture of the larger cabinets installed on the 15th Street side of All Souls to house the Little Free Pantry.
Built in 2022, the Little Free Pantry is now twice as large and beautifully painted!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Originally started at a church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the Little Free Pantry movement seeks to provide free food and grocery goods through spontaneous, anonymous donations from community members. A Little Free Pantry is a free-standing structure that contains grocery goods donated by anyone who places goods into the pantry. Those who need food assistance can access the pantry at any time by taking what they need. Unlike many traditional food pantries, a Little Free Pantry does not require an application, proof of income, or proof of need.
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A Pantry for All Souls is located on the 15th Street side of the church building. It is a bright blue structure on the concrete stairs, along the fence.
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You, if you have some to donate! Or, well, anyone. The pantry is stocked by neighbors who want to share food with neighbors who need it.
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You, if you need it! Or, again, anyone. There is no eligibility or qualifications to take something out of the pantry. If you need something that’s in the pantry, take it.
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Put it in the pantry! You can add donations at any time.
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Non-perishable grocery goods, like canned goods, tuna, crackers, cookies, soups, beans, grains, pasta, energy drinks, cereal, energy bars, apple sauce, etc. Produce can be donated as long as it can be outdoors in the current temperature for several hours and is not easily bruised. Apples and potatoes, yes; lettuce or berries, probably not.
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You can also supply the pantry with things like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent, socks and underwear still in their packaging, diaper wipes, baby formula, menstrual hygiene products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, gift cards to grocery stores, and school supplies.
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Please don’t put any clothing, frozen or refrigerated food, any open packages, or any homemade food in the pantry.
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While A Pantry for All Souls does not address systemic and societal causes of poverty and food insecurity, it does feed people, one person at a time. The pantry is a supplement to, not a replacement for, political action to change the economic and political structures of our nation. We support that, too.
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We believe in radical hospitality and are grateful for the opportunity to give food to anyone who will accept it. None of us knows what someone else “needs”; we can only be grateful that we are able to give.
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You can contact the Pantry Team at apantryforallsouls(at)gmail.com
“There’s a hunger beyond food that’s expressed in food, and that’s why feeding is always a kind of miracle. It speaks to a bigger desire.”