Brooke Moon, St. Peters board president, and Linda Hall, financial secretary, stock items into the church’s blessing box. [Photo by Diane Tucker]

A number of blessing boxes or little free pantries, a community-driven cabinet or structure filled with non-perishable food items, toiletries or other essential supplies, are starting to crop up all over Kewanee.

The concept of the boxes is simple; anyone in need can take what they require and anyone with more than they need is free to give what they can. Several organizations and churches have installed blessing boxes or free little pantries around town.

St. Peter’s Evangelical and First Congregational churches of Kewanee, along with OSF St. Luke Medical Center, have all created their own version of the boxes located outside of their establishments. These free pantries are open to anyone in the public and residents are welcome to take what they need or leave what they can behind for other community members.

The free pantry boxes contain non-perishable food items like; canned goods, granola bars, individual bags of chips, trail mix, ramen, crackers, soups, and cereals, as well as personal care products such as; toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizers, soaps and socks.

 Father Ghislain blesses O.S.F. St. Luke’s free pantry box located outside of the medical center. [Submitted photo]

Brooke Moon from St. Peter’s Church said the church members have been actively involved in the church’s blessing box.

“Currently church members have been stocking items. We will happily accept donations from the public,” she said.

Donations can be left inside the box or brought into the St. Peter’s Church office Monday- Friday 9 a.m.-noon. The blessing box and St. Peter’s Evangelical Church is located at 119 S. Grove Street in Kewanee.

First Congregational Church of Kewanee’s Little Free Pantry is found on the west side of the church located at 224 W. Prospect St. That church’s Little Free Pantry was the brainchild of Jayce Merrill who also built the pantry as his Eagle Scout project.

 Jayce Merrill checks over the Little Free Pantry located at the First Congregational Church that he built as his Eagle Scout project. [Submitted photo]

The church welcomes donations from the public that can either be put directly into the box or brought to the church during office hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 – 4 p.m. Jill Seyller of First Congregational Church said “We also accept monetary donations, and the church will purchase items needed.”

OSF St. Luke Medical Center’s blessing box is located on the St. Luke campus at 1051 W. South St. Samantha Rux, OSF public relations and communications coordinator said, “Our Mission Partners typically keep it stocked or donate money for our Mission Integration Team to purchase items. But the community is also welcome to contribute items.”

Donations can be left directly in the box and if the box is full, donations can be brought to one of the registration desks in the hospital.

Kewanee isn’t the only city where the boxes are popping up. Blessing boxes have gained in popularity in communities as the boxes provide a discreet and convenient way for people to donate and receive essential items. In addition, the boxes foster a sense of community and encourage neighbors to help one another.