When Angela Seri Krukauskas built a little food pantry in her front yard, her aim was that no one locally go hungry that Christmas.
It not only lasted, it thrived.
The handbuilt wooden pantry that reads, “Take a blessing if you need one. Leave a blessing if you can,” was filled for the last time this past week. This week, it will be taken down from its spot in front of her Boston Avenue home.
Eventually, it will have a special place in the new food pantry opening soon inside a 4,100-square-foot building in the center of town.
A “well-known” city resident gifted the building to the pantry in July. He does not want his name to be public.
“He’s like my fairy godfather,” Krukauskas said.
The donation sparked a letter-writing campaign to get help for fixing and filling the building.
The community responded.
Everything inside was donated, including many residents’ time.
“We worked our tails off to get this building together,” Krukauskas said.
Air conditioning, heating, plumbing supplies and even the new roof that they are waiting on were donated.
“It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “We’ve had to raise so much money. It was overwhelming but it’s really joyous.”
Krukauskas has welcomed the support because she wants the community to feel ownership.
“They’ll take pride in what we’ve built because we’ve done this together,” she said. “I want it to be a place where they’re always welcome and always feel safe.”
The community also will be represented with photos of those involved throughout the building, and even framed artwork that runs the gamut from donated pieces to children’s work to artistic undertakings by community members who have no experience.
The spot at 233 Philadelphia Ave. will include everyone.
Krukauskas said she is not sure what the building was most recently, but has seen it sit in need for most of her 33 years living in the city. She is told it was an appliance store in the 1970s.
Its new incarnation will pay homage to its history, along with the food pantry’s humble beginnings.
The 1911 cornerstone and a hitching post from that time will be incorporated. And that wooden pantry Krukauskas built with her son under her husband’s direction will also have a special spot, although she is not sure exactly where yet.
The building will also have its own thrift shop, expected to come sometime this summer. Krukauskas is hoping that will help sustain the pantry, allowing them to buy more and healthier foods.
“It’s not what you think of when you think of food pantry,” she said. “We want it to be a place where people can feel safe. They can feel comfortable.”
The group was hoping to open Monday, but the roof set things back a bit.
Donations still will be taken at Krukauskas’ home for the time being.
“The need is ongoing,” she said. “We’re always in need of food, always in need of things we can sell.”
She is still in awe of the outpouring they have received.
“We’ve met and exceeded even our own expectations,” Kurkauskas said. “The outpouring of community support has been incredible.
“Now we couldn’t even walk away if we wanted to,” she said. “We hope it will be here forever.”
