By Paige Gurgainers
For those on the lookout in the community for a Little Free Pantry, the newest addition installed right outside of the Broken Bean, will be hard to miss. This Little Free Pantry, sponsored by Minden Walmart is painted in the signature bright “Walmart Blue.”
This Ethan Jeffus Initiative is a community effort, where locals can contribute food, toiletries and other essential items to the pantry, making them easily accessible to those in need across the state spread out at designated locations.
“I got involved with advocating against hunger insecurity at a young age with my mom and my family, volunteering at our local food bank,” explained Jeffus. “Thats really how I realized the need for food in our community. Ever since then I have asked myself in the back of my head, ‘How can I make food and other essential items more accessible to those that need them?’ In 2022, I implemented the Little Free Pantry.”
The success of these pantries relies solely on community support and engagement.
“I thought let’s bring it to our community and create a movement to challenge our community and our people to take care of each other. Let’s be neighbors that feed neighbors and create a lasting resource that can help lift each other up,” said Jeffus.
This pantry along with the others in the parish have come to fruition thanks largely in part to community partnerships like the Methodist Church of Minden and the Broken Bean Ministry.
“We are a ministry that helps women with any life altering issues often that comes in the form of drug addiction and alcoholism, and hunger is also one of them,” said manager of the Broke Bean Ashley Miller. “We thought it would be cool to put these prayer cards inside of the pantry. They need prayer- to know we care and that they are seen. We are inviting the users of this box to come inside; come talk with us; let us pray with you; let us stand in agreement that better times are ahead. Let us get involved because maybe we can do something outside of this. Maybe we have resources and can take it a step further.”
Minden Walmart also became involved last November when they expressed interest in holding a food drive to stock other pantries, they then decided to sponsor their own.
The Minden Walmart manager Ronnie Gray shared his own personal struggles and why he felt passionately about this initiative. He said, “Years ago, I went through struggles myself, and I needed some help.”
Gray announced Walmart’s sponsorship of five additional pantries to the surprise of everyone in attendance at the ribbon cutting, along with Jeffus, as well.
Those will be added to the already existing locations at Mercy’s Closet, the Farm at Cultural Crossroads and the Council on Aging, along with others across the state.
Kathy Babers, representative for Speaker Mike Johnson, also presented Jeffus with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition.
“On behalf of Speaker Johnson, we are so excited for this initiative, and so we have a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for the Broken Bean’s Little Free Pantry for the ribbon cutting ceremony and the efforts,” said Babers. “We are so thankful and proud of you all.”