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LITTLE FREE PANTRY

Community Foundation grant to stock shelves of GPPL’s Little Free Pantry well into 2022

Dec 17, 2021 | 10:44 AM

The Little Free Pantry at the Grande Prairie Public Library is receiving a financial boost courtesy of the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta.

Tara Wiebe, Head of Customer Services at the library says they recently applied for and received a ten thousand dollar grant from the Community Foundation, which will keep the shelves of the pantry well-stocked for 2022.

“One of my colleagues gave me the information on (the grants) and said (the Community Foundation) funds projects like this through community impact grants, and this project seems like something that they would fund.”

Wiebe says the Little Free Pantry was first introduced back in June as a way of relieving food insecurities among some of their visitors.

She adds one of the keys to the program is that visitors to the library can access it privately.

“And not have to feel like people are watching them and not have to feel like (the library) is policing what they do with it. It is just in the library, it is open and available. We have a sign up that says what it is and to take what you need,” Wiebe explained.

“We do not actually have a line for it in our budget, so it is purely funded by things such as this grant, and the generosity of individuals and groups that drop off donations, and those kinds of things.”

Wiebe adds the Little Free Pantry has been received very well in its short existence, not just as far as usage by visitors but also in terms of donations by members of the community.