We are supporting a growing network of little free food pantries in Richmond!

In this ongoing time of economic instability and political disruption, we want to directly support members of our community through free resources, and free food pantries are a tangible way to meet people’s needs. Richmond pantries have been around for a while, and with lots of community participation we are helping grow this network.

Where are the Richmond area free pantries?

What is a free pantry?

A free pantry, much like a Little Free Library, is a small cubby that is housed in front of someone’s property and holds free goods for the public. It can be filled with shelf-stable food and fresh produce that can spend some time outside of a refrigerator. Depending on local needs and interests, it can also be filled with personal hygiene products like toothbrushes or bandaids, and more. Anyone can take from a free pantry, and anyone can contribute. “Give what you can, take what you need” is the motto!

How does this work?

Each free pantry requires a host — an individual or organization — to house the pantry on their property. The pantry also needs a team of pantry stewards, members of the community who keep the pantry stocked and clean. A host can also be a steward! RAMA is available to help support pantries as they get established, whether by guiding or supporting the construction and installation of the pantry, distributing food we reclaim, or otherwise. However, our goal is for each pantry to be an autonomous neighborhood hub that can be fully supported on an ongoing basis by nearby stewards, to help meet the needs of nearby residents. RAMA is building some little pantries and also supporting hosts to create pantries out of shelving units etc. You can see many examples by visiting littlefreepantry.org.

What does a host need to do?

A host needs a place on their property where a free pantry can be installed, with permission of the landlord if the host is not the owner. The host agrees to house the pantry, and to help coordinate installation and beautification (painting) with RAMA support as needed. A host can also be a steward.

What do stewards need to do?

A steward makes sure the pantry is stocked and kept clean. Ideally, a pantry would have 2 or more stewards. The steward would be in touch with folks in RAMA who help with food distribution, but the steward can also reach out to community members, neighbors, and friends to find the materials to keep the pantry stocked. This could look like putting out a flyer in your neighborhood letting people know about the pantry, directly shopping for and stocking it yourself, adding fresh produce from your garden, or seeking out donations from farmers markets or local stores. It might include creating online communities around a pantry, such as a Signal chat for neighborhood volunteers.

I might be interested in being a Host and/or Steward.

Yay! Reach out by email at RichmondAreaMutualAid@proton.me or contact @marias.71 directly on Signal.

I already host a pantry. How can I participate?

Get in touch with us! Email RichmondAreaMutualAid@proton.me or contact @marias.71 directly on Signal.