SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A small wooden box that once served as a free library in Maria Patrick's front yard has transformed into a community food pantry, providing essential groceries to neighbors in need.
Patrick originally created the little free library as a tribute to her late mother and to share her love of reading with the community. However, after seeing others convert their book exchanges into food pantries, she felt called to make the change herself.
"I wanted to share my love of reading with the community. And it's been really fun for me but I was just kinda thinking last week. I had seen some other folks who were converting their free libraries to be a food pantry for the time being and I just really felt it on my heart that it was something I was supposed to do as well," Patrick said.
The pantry has become a frequently visited resource for people seeking food assistance. Patrick's personal experience with food insecurity drives her commitment to helping others.
"I was raised by my grandparents. Adopted by them. And we relied on food stamps. Growing up as a kid, I know my parents probably couldn't have made ends meet otherwise because they were already pretty low income. And I just, I know there's a lot of folks in our community who may be in a similar situation or they're senior citizens or they have kids and just need a little something to bridge the gap," Patrick said.
Some of the most popular items are foods that don't require additional ingredients like milk and eggs, such as applesauce, baby food and peanut butter. The pantry also stocks pet food for families struggling to feed their animals.
"There was some like canned dog food and cat food that has been taken because some people may have trouble feeding their pets without getting some kind of benefits in order to eat themselves," Patrick said.
With grocery prices remaining high and food assistance programs facing uncertainty, Patrick hopes her act of kindness will inspire others to create their own community pantries.
"You don't have to have a specific container or anything like that. You know, you can use a tote. You can use whatever you have. And it doesn't have to be anything big," Patrick said.
