and then we started a food pantry

After a couple of days, we've gotten quite a few donations and 

I was pleased to see some of the things I donated are gone.

An Oglethorpe county music venue has been converted to help during the Covid-19 crisis. No. 3 Railroad St. in Arnoldsville is no longer open for music and other events because of the pandemic but now its front porch is open 24/7 serving as a food pantry.  

Last week PBS ran a story on Little Free Libraries that are being converted into small food pantries. Seeing this I thought of the Little Library around the corner from us in Arnoldsville. I called Mary Nouri the owner of no. 3 Railroad St. and a host site of a Little Library and put the idea forward to her. Mary and I had met years before when she was my children's school nurse. If anyone understood the needs of local families, I knew it would be Mary.

Mary and I discussed the need for the pantry and so much more. No. 3 RR Street's Little Library has become a source of books for the local children since the schools and regional library system closed. Instead of using the little library, it was decided that the front porch could serve as a 24/7 food pantry.  

This week we set up shelves and containers then donated cans and paper goods from our pantries. I am pleased to say that in the few days we've been open, it's working!  Donations have come in and supplies have been picked up by those in need. In addition to non perishable food items, we are also accepting donations of toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and hygiene items.

Our policy is Donate what you can. Take what you need. Located at the crossroads in Arnoldsville, a small town without a stop light, it's centrally located on the road that runs through Winterville, Arnoldsville, and Crawford. Number 3 Railroad St. is hard to miss. It's the big red building at the crossroads. Because it's open 24/7, we feel it might be easier for some folks who may be reluctant to go to a regular food bank or just don't have time. Further, there's no screening process, no long lines, just an old fashioned front porch waiting for visitors to stop by.

As Mary and I spoke throughout the week, she kept going back to the idea she had in starting the venue. She wanted a hub for the community to come together. For the space to have lain dormant for the past two months, it is a welcome relief to see the space being used for its intended purpose, a gathering spot serving the community. 

Over the past several years, no. 3 R.R. St. has hosted a number of music groups featuring swing, folk, blues, traditional music and more. There were potlucks too which brought the musicians and audience together. There have been open mic nights and karaoke nights, anniversary and birthday parties. There have been art classes, music classes, yoga sessions, and book sales: all for the community.

Beginning next week, Mary will be setting up free public wifi so that anyone who needs to access school work, sign up for unemployment, search for a job, or just send an email to a friend can sit on the porch, in the yard, or in the parking lot and get online. Like the Front Porch Food Pantry, the wifi will be available 24/7.

After a week, I was able to add a shelf of free children's books to the porch. 

The bookshelf was an extension of the free little library that was already in place. 

Several new children's books were added to that also.