SEASONAL OFFERINGS
Adding Sprinkles of Joy
At the Pantry, we believe that CELEBRATION and JOY should be accessible to everyone, regardless of income level. That is why we take every opportunity to add a sense of magic and wonder to each pantry visit.
Our first seasonal project was The Giving Patch, a free pumpkin patch with a sign stating “Take a Pumpkin. Leave a Pumpkin”. The patch was started on a whim after picking up a few extra carving pumpkins on a rainy day. However, it was so hugely popular that we have made it an annual October event. Every year we try to outdo the last, and every year the community response grows.
The winter holiday season heralds the arrival of The Giving Tree, which involves decking a full sized artificial tree in small gifts and gift cards for pantry patrons to take on their visits. The items shared can vary from toys to hand crocheted scarves and hats to small household items. We are always blown away by the kindness, generosity, and creativity of the items shared!
Our newest holiday offering started in 2021 with the distribution of Salt Dough Ornament Kits. Each kit contains the recipe for salt dough ornaments, pre-measured flour and salt, and a new cookie cutter. The kits were well received in their debut year and we especially appreciated seeing the photos of the beautiful ornaments our community created.
Once spring arrives, we get to work assembling Easter Egg Hunt Kits which include all the items needed to put together an Egg Hunt including plastic eggs, candy (or marshmallows and fruits snacks), small prizes, and a basket. Every year the kits disappear almost immediately, and in there place we receive grateful messages from parents.
Our goal in all our seasonal projects is to give parents/guardians an opportunity to create magical family memories and, perhaps even, their very own holiday traditions. In the future, we are hoping to partner with a local faith community to expand the number of holiday kits we can provide and also offer weekend brunches with Santa and the Easter Bunny.