Washington Evening Journal
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Little Free Pantries
Andy Hallman
Nov. 3, 2020 12:00 am
FAIRFIELD – Maharishi School students donated six cases of non-perishable food to members of Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries during an assembly Monday morning at the school.
The students had assembled for a closing celebration of the school's fall fundraiser, Raise Craze. Students were given awards for raising the most donations and for completing the most acts of kindness.
The 'acts of kindness” are a way for the students to show their appreciation to the school's donors. To earn these acts of kindness, students picked up their neighbors' trash, sent letters to local firefighters and police officers, made cards for doctors and nurses at the Jefferson County Health Center, cleaned up outside the school, and most notably at the awards ceremony, donated boxes of food to the little food pantries.
In all, the students raised $20,000, more than last year and exceeding their goal of $15,000 for this year, and performed 545 acts of kindness during the fundraising effort.
Three members of the Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries organization attended the event to accept the donation: Deb Pogel, Steve Blum and Mark Soth. The school's development director Laura Bordow introduced them on stage and spoke about the organization. She shared an anecdote about how one man was so touched to find a can of peaches in one of the little pantries when he needed it most.
Pogel spoke a few words during the ceremony, telling the students that they were all winners for having contributing to help families with food insecurity. She said the problem has become especially acute this year because of the pandemic.
'The little free pantries are a nice way to fill a void,” Pogel said. 'Nobody needs to know who you are when you take something. And any extra items that you have in the house can go to a little free pantry. This act of kindness is appreciated by those in need.”
Pogel told a story about a woman with two children who was fleeing a violent situation and had no money for food. Even with her fulltime job, she was not able to feed her family. The woman was thrilled to learn of the little free pantries in town, which were a lifesaver for her and her kids.
Pogel said there are now six little free pantries in town, with one under construction that should be finished in a few weeks and installed in the northwest part of town near Ninth Street and Gear Avenue. She said the New Community Church plans to install one outside its building at 500 W. Washington St.
'We're always looking for volunteer builders, too,” Pogel said.
Those who wish to make a donation to the organization can do so through Divine Star Charities, run by Vaju Moorthy who serves weekly meals at Phoenix Rising Hall in Fairfield.
Deb Pogel, a member of Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries, thanks Maharishi School students for their donation of food to her organization during a school assembly Monday. (Andy Hallman/The Union)
Maharishi School students donated six cases of nonperishable food to Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries Monday. Here, the school's development director Laura Bordow, right, and co-head of school Richard Beall speak during an awards ceremony Monday. (Andy Hallman/The Union)
Representatives of Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries accept a donation of six cases of food totaling about 700 items from Maharishi School students Monday morning. The members of the group pictured are Mark Soth (front row left), Steve Blum (front row, right) and Deb Pogel (front row, second from right). (Andy Hallman/The Union)
Maharishi School development director Laura Bordow speaks during Monday morning's closing celebration of the school's Raise Craze fundraiser, which generated $20,000 in donations and for which the students contributed 545 acts of kindness. (Andy Hallman/The Union)
Maharishi School development director Laura Bordow, introduces the members of Fairfield Iowa Little Free Pantries, who came to the school Monday to receive cases of food from the students. The members of the group are, from left, Deb Pogel, Steve Blum and Mark Soth. (Andy Hallman/The Union)