By Sean Sullivan 

Out of sight of most neighbors, town residents have built and maintained a mini food pantry. Located outdoors in the shadow of Natick’s Common Street Spiritual Center, the self-serve project is aimed at lessening local food insecurity.

It was begun by Natick resident Suzanne Alcott, and has been discreetly serving neighbors in need for several years.     

The mini pantry is a cousin of Natick’s Little Free Libraries. Those are custom-built boxes located throughout the town, weather-proof cabinets for the public exchange of books. Some resemble intricately-designed mailboxes, curbside the homes of residents.

But inside the cabinets are sheltered a shifting catalog of books on all manner of subjects. Passersby can take from (or add to) LFL outposts at any time.

That same spirit of unrestricted exchange also holds true for the non-perishable food items in Alcott’s custom-made cabinet.

“You can access it whenever,” she said of the mini pantry project.

And like the adoption of Little Free Libraries across Natick, the inspiration for Natick’s mini pantry came from afar. Both community projects have gone viral, been embraced the world over.

Having heard of mini pantries popping up in other towns, Alcott’s daughter-in-law suggested Natick adopt one of its own. After Alcott secured permission from the Common Street Spiritual Center, her family set to work designing and building the cabinet. Alcott’s husband and their adult children assembled and painted the pantry, which was installed on the building’s exterior in 2021. 

“Our motto is neighbors helping neighbors in need,” she said.

Those neighbors who keep the cabinet’s shelves stocked meet monthly to check in about the project. They include six local residents who also keep tabs on the pantry itself, regularly visiting the site to add items. Most of those goods are purchased by the volunteers themselves, though the mini pantry has other benefactors as well.

Natick’s First Congregational Church has supported the project, as have local businesses like Cognex and Mathworks.

Still, Alcott hopes word of the mini pantry will spread, and that other supporters and volunteers will join the cause. The goal, she added, is for the effort to retain its “grass roots” beginnings and keep growing.

Its small but dedicated group of volunteers means that the cabinet is most often monitored on a daily basis.

“Items move very quickly in there,” said Alcott. “Anything that’s not perishable is extremely welcome.”

Canned and dry goods are the most practical of course, food that has a long shelf life. Especially versatile are grab-and-go items, things that don’t require cooking. Among these are protein and energy bars, and other healthy snacks.

Though the cabinet is outdoors and despite the cold weather, Alcott said that frozen foods aren’t suitable for drop off. New England’s climate is too unpredictable to assure such items will stay viable.     

Alcott envisioned the mini pantry to fill a certain neglected niche of need. Some neighbors struggling with food insecurity may be living just on the edge of it. While their household income makes them ineligible for other food assistance programs, they still may need a helping hand at times.

“We feel like we’re filling a small sort of crevice,” said Alcott.

That effort hopes to prevent some neighbors from falling through. Perhaps a car repair bill or other unexpected expense comes due, forcing a family to trim its budget in other categories. The mini pantry aims to ensure that food isn’t among that list.

“It’s just a way to help with food insecurity. We just put it there and hope for the best.”