Hyper-local help.
Central General Store aims to help hungry neighbors in a pinch. We know we're not a long-term solution -- we're just a Band-Aid on the large wound that is hunger in America. But imagine a world with a little free pantry on every block. What a difference that could make!
Central General Store is operated by Elizabeth Friedland. (That's me!) I firmly believe that it's our duty to be humanitarians. After all, the world isn't changed by our opinion of it; it's changed by our actions.
At first, I didn't think my neighborhood would be an ideal location for our first little free pantry (located at 52nd and Central Ave.). But after some research, I learned that nearly 12% of households in my zip code are living at or below the poverty line; that amounts to more than 3,500 families who may not have enough to eat. While the need may be more hidden in our neighborhood, it's very real.
We quickly branched out with our second location at 2837 E. New York Street. The area is one of high need, with 27% of households living at or below the poverty line.
Our third pantry opened in August 2024, at 1920 W. Morris Street.
We hope to continue to expand and join the amazing network of other hyper-local, micro pantries across the country, city and state.
Fast Facts
-
The 52nd and Central pantry empties out, on average, every 48 hours.
-
The New York and Rural pantry empties out, on average, every 6-12 hours.
-
It costs approximately $83 to fully stock a pantry.
-
Central General Store was inspired by the global Little Free Pantry movement. More can be found at littlefreepantry.org