A Public Art Experiment 

The Little Free Food Pantry 

A Mutual Aid Food Bank based in Berkeley, California 

2020- 2023   

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For years, I had imagined and sketched out the idea of a public kiosk of some kind, where neighbors could freely exchange food and goods. A world where if you have shelf-stable food to donate or yummy leftovers in a container, you can leave them in a clean, welcoming space, knowing it’s high-quality and will help someone else.

 

So, just before the 2020 election, my husband and I designed and installed a free food pantry on our street, with our neighbors' blessing. In the first year, we were both amazed at seeing the concept at work. People in cars would pull up to drop off bags of food. Amazing! There was a nice flow of food, and the response we got from our community was positive. There was a steady flow of food and generosity.

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In the first year, I was buying food with my own money, loading up at Trader Joe’s and TARGET. I made a commitment to donate a percentage of my income from design projects to the pantry. I formed partnerships with local businesses and organizations like ACME Bakery and the Berkeley Food Pantry, who generously provided food.

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I made the decision to close it October 2023.  To read about the things that I learned by doing this project for three years, check out the Little Free Pantry site that I built for it.  If you're interested in community projects and food sharing and recovery, there is a lot of useful info on the site!

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