The movement was adopted by Students Empowering and Leading (S.E.A.L.), a philanthropy club consisting of 15 students from East Marshall High School.

In 2019, club members attended the Youth Philanthropy Conference hosted by Marshalltown Community College. During a break-out session, then-sophomore Emma Johnson pitched the idea of bringing Little Free Pantries to communities in her school district.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the club initially made and distributed masks. Then it decided it was time to bring the pantry idea to life.

“I honestly kind of forgot it was my idea. I’m glad it came back into action,” Johnson said. “A lot of people have health risks and can’t go into grocery stores. So this is an easy way to get the bare necessities and get through.”

Little free pantries are located in Ferguson, Le Grand, Gilman and Laurel. They are open to donations and items are available to those who need them. S.E.A.L. encourages donations of non-perishable food items and other items of need.

Colton Corbett, a recent graduate from East Marshall, constructed the pantries with material provided from an anonymous donor. He used a design from littlefreepantry.org.

There are four pantries in the school district, located at:

•Ferguson: Ferguson Bible Church, 395 Second Street

•Le Grand: Le Grand Friends Church, 206 W. Main Street

•Gilman: Gilman Public Library, 106 N. Main Street

•Laurel: 203 S. Main Street

S.E.A.L. recently stocked all of the pantries and will continue spreading awareness about them in coming weeks. Johnson said the pantry in Ferguson had already been emptied and restocked Monday.

“There are no grocery stores in any of these small towns,” said Addie Lane, a junior at East Marshall High School. “So if they don’t have access to a ride into town this is a good way to get a source of food.”

The pantries are stocked primarily with non-perishable, dry items and some toiletries. The club advises not donating liquids or anything that may freeze and explode as winter is coming.

Rev. Alan Mullikin of Le Grand Friends Church said it was an easy decision to allow the club to place a pantry outside of the church.

“Caring for folks in difficult times — that’s key,” he said. “We’re honored to be able to be a site for them.”

The club is not affiliated with the school so these students participate on their own time. The club works in cooperation with the Community Foundation of Marshall County, which granted $4,000 to the club this year.

Little Free Pantries or mini pantries began in Fayetteville, Ark. in 2016 when Jessica McClard planted the first box as a pilot. Another was built later that year at a church in Oklahoma before catching on around the country.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact Julie Hitchins, executive director of the Community Foundation of Marshall County at 641-758-3028 or director@cfmarshallco.org.

For inquiries about the pantry located in Laurel, contact Brittany Tow at 641-485-6303 or Missy Sharer at 641-691-5205.

LITTLE FREE PANTRIES

To learn more about the Little Free Pantry movement, visit littlefreepantry.org.

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Contact Joe Fisher at 641-753-6611 or jfisher@timesrepublican.com