A Public Art Experiment
The Little Free Food Pantry
A Mutual Aid Food Bank based in Berkeley, California
2020- 2023
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.
The pantry was open 24/7—a place for people to drop off, share, and take food without stigma, especially when money was tight. The idea was simple: "Take what you need, give what you can." It’s like the Free Libraries, but with food instead of books.
Running the pantry became a part-time job for me over three years. I wrote to local businesses and food banks, asking for donations (most said yes!), and organized neighborhood food drives that were quite successful.
We partnered with wonderful organizations like ACME Bakery and the Berkeley Food Pantry, who generously provided food. 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, and it was fun to go shopping and buy tons of soups, cans of tuna, pasta and bars. We tried to provide a range of food.
Over the years, I met so many amazing neighbors—those who donated and those who used the pantry regularly. It became a real hub, with people even driving in from Oakland and Albany to contribute. I saw for myself that if you give people the opportunity to share and to give, they want to contribute. I learned a lot about food insecurity and saw the difference this pantry made in people’s lives. People came by bike, car, and on foot to donate or pick up food. As the pandemic continued, food prices increased and the pantry became a necessity for more and more people.
I eventually had to close the pantry to focus on a publishing project. I no longer had the time to manage it all, but I’m incredibly grateful for the experience. It was more than just a food pantry—it was a community art experiment. I poured my heart into it, designing signage, postcards, and creating a space that felt welcoming. If you would like to read about the pantry and see photos of it, please visit the little web site that I made for it.
And if you’re inspired to start a public food pantry in your neighborhood, I’d love to chat and share what I’ve learned. Feel free to reach out!
