People Are Stocking Their Little Free Libraries With Food and Toilet Paper to Help Neighbors

Across the nation, people are stocking their Little Free Libraries with food, toilet paper, and other necessities as a creative way to lend a helping hand to neighbors in need without breaking the rules of social distancing.

Many of the makeshift pantries encourage people to pay it forward with handwritten messages like “Take what you need, share what you can,” and other similar adaptations of Little Free Library’s “Take a book, leave a book” motto. Some people have completely emptied the books from their libraries to make room for non-perishables like peanut butter, canned soup, and pasta, while others still have a little space devoted to reading material—which, although it might not be quite as important as a hearty meal, can keep you relaxed and entertained during quarantine.

As Literary Hub explains, donating to a Little Free Library-turned-pantry near you isn’t just a great way to help neighbors who can’t make it to the store (or can’t find what they need on increasingly low-stocked shelves). It could also combat feelings of powerlessness or loneliness brought on by self-isolation; by giving what you can spare—and seeing what others have contributed—you’re fostering a sense of community that exists even without the face-to-face contact you’re probably used to.

Greig Metzger, the executive director of the Little Free Library organization, suggests that people even use their Little Free Libraries as collection points for larger food donations to nearby charities.

“Food shelves everywhere are facing increased demand,” Metzger, who served as an executive director for a Minneapolis food shelf before joining Little Free Library, wrote in a blog post. “You can find the food shelf nearest you by doing a Google search for ‘food shelf near me.’ Perhaps use your Little Free Library to host a food drive to help that local food shelf.”

You can also look for Little Free Libraries in your area using this interactive map.

Looking for other ways to help your community fight the wide-reaching effects of the new coronavirus? Here are seven things you can do.