Seven years ago, I built a small food stand out of pallets to help share the excess vegetables grown in our garden. Over time, other neighbours began contributing as well. Once the gardening season ended, the community continued to stock the pantry with non-perishable food items, all available free of charge for anyone in need. People are welcome to stop by at any time and help themselves to whatever food is available.
As the years passed, the original stand began facing challenges during the fall and winter months. When I first built it, I did not include a proper door, and retrofitting one afterward proved difficult. I struggled to design a door durable enough to withstand constant daily use and strong seasonal winds.
Thanks to the support of the Neighbourhood Small Grant I received, I was able to build a new weather-resistant pantry. This time, I ensured the structure included a properly functioning door. As someone without a carpentry background, the project required extensive planning, patience, and a great deal of trial and error. To make the process manageable, I broke the project into smaller steps. I began by creating blueprints and carefully comparing prices to maximize the value of the funding. I also took great care in measuring materials accurately to avoid unnecessary waste and expenses.
To make the pantry feel warm and welcoming, I painted it a cheerful shade of blue and added colourful decorative stickers. I wanted it to have character and to be something neighbours would enjoy seeing as they drove by or looked out their windows each day.
With the remaining grant money, I purchased as much food as possible, focusing on sale items to stretch the budget further. I selected foods that could help people create complete meals and stocked the pantry gradually over several days. Day by day, the food quietly disappeared as community members made use of it.
I would like to sincerely thank the Nanaimo Foundation for fostering community connection through the Neighbourhood Small Grants Program. It was both an honour and a privilege to participate in this initiative, and it feels rewarding to give back to the community in a meaningful way.
