Vandals Won’t Stop Oneida’s Little Free Pantry From Helping Needy

What a great idea for helping those less fortunate. The Little Free Pantry in Oneida is a self-serve free food source for people in need. Need an item, help yourself, have extra, drop it off. But vandals are making it difficult to continue.

Little Free Pantry is a nation wide grassroots movement encouraging neighbors to help neighbors. Their motto is, "Give What You Can, Take What You Need." Unfortunately in Oneida, the taking is being done by some vandals, who are also damaging the storage structure.

The anonymous people behind the project pay out of their own pockets to repair the structure. The most recent repairs replaced the glass doors with wooden ones in hopes of deterring the vandals. They are encouraging parents to "talk to their kids and remind them that it’s real people that run and maintain this. We don’t get money from the city, it comes out of our own family’s money to continue to fix this. It’s not funny or cool."

Kudos to those trying to keep such a novel idea going. And it's so easy to help, the next time you're shopping and see a buy one, get one free deal, donate the free item. Read more on the Little Free Pantry's needed items below, or on their Facebook page.

New doors on the pantry today! Unfortunately we had to get rid of the windows because of the vandalism but this will work 😊😊😊 Lets gets stocking it again!

Location: Across the street from the post office on Farrier Ave in Oneida

The Little Free Pantry movement is a way for neighbors to help neighbors. Everything is free and it’s open 24/7, no questions asked.

Please feel free to grab some items if you’re in need and to help stock up when you can.
We rely on the community to help keep our pantry full, so please keep us in mind the next time you’re at the grocery store. Also please share this with your friends in the community.

Suggestions of items: non perishable food items, female sanitary items, personal hygiene items (try to refrain from strong smelling items as it can transfer to the food items), small school supplies, snacks for kids, small packs of diapers, and wipes

Please no razors or sharp items, clothing (we just don’t have the space for that in our small pantry), chemicals, or illegal items.
During extreme temperatures canned items will be inspected for bulging and leaking and removed when appropriate.

Take what you need, give what you can!