Article originally published in the Arkansas Municipal League Association- February 2023 edition.

EngageAR Partners on Pantries for MLK Jr. Day of Service 

By Shelby Fiegel

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and to take action at the local level. It is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage citizens to volunteer to improve their communities. During the last quarter-century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and more Americans have embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities.

Engage Arkansas (EngageAR) celebrates the MLK Day of Service by engaging with municipalities and nonprofit organizations to:

• Engage with their community and create constructive action;

• Act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity; and

• Recommit by volunteering to serve others (clean up a public space, mentor a young person or help those who are food insecure).

This year in celebration of MLK Day, EngageAR supported the Little Free Pantry Movement statewide. The Little Free Pantry is a grassroots effort launched by Fayetteville’s Jessica McClard in May 2016. She planted the first Little Free Pantry, a wooden box on a post, that contained food and personal care and paper items accessible to all citizens in her community to support neighbors in need. A Maumelle Public Works Department employee retrofits a donated Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper dispenser to serve as a community food pantry as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service.

Through a donation of 100 old newspaper dispensers by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, EngageAR supported over 60 communities by repurposing the dispensers into mini food pantries. Partnering communities also hosted block parties and food drives to bring their community together.

“Our mission at EngageAR is to bridge divides by bringing people together through service and volunteerism,” said Deputy Chief of Community Engagement and Faith-Based Partnership Shana Chaplin. “We seek to provide support and tools to help local communities build strong civic infrastructure. The Little Free Pantry project is an example of how state government, private sector partners and local communities can creatively engage citizens of all ages to help meet local needs.”

Each community identified a unique approach in coordinating and supporting the pantries. Some opted for nonprofit organizations, education institutions, health care facilities or individuals to take ownership of the pantries. In Maumelle, the city identified the need for additional pantries and made the decision to support the installation of two new pantries: one for general community needs on the north side of town near the police and fire department (2000 Murphy Drive) and one for pet products at the Maumelle Center on the Lake, a senior wellness center (2 Jackie Johnson Cove).

“Engage Arkansas’ excellent idea to turn old newspaper boxes into micro food pantries proves that a project doesn’t have to be big to make a big difference,” said Maumelle Mayor Caleb Norris. “Those families who will benefit from this program will have food on the table and will know that the people in their community have stepped up to help.”

EngageAR also encouraged their partners to decorate and paint the pantries with art representative of their communities. Maumelle utilized city equipment and employee-centered volunteerism within their public works department to sand, paint and print stickers of inspiring quotes and paw prints to make the pantries aesthetically pleasing and easy to locate. Other communities and organizations opted to work with local artists and youth to decorate the pantries.

“We are so excited to be part of the MLK Day of Service project with Engage Arkansas,” said Maumelle Director of Economic Development Courtney Dunn, who served as the main point of contact for the project. “Providing resources like the Free Little Food Pantry to our community is impactful and is a community effort.”

Learn more about the MLK Day of Service at www.americorps.gov/newsroom/events/mlk-day, or visit www.engagearkansas.org/mlk-day-of-service for resources, ideas for community projects and a full map of communities participating in the project.

You can learn more about the Little Free Pantry Movement at www.littlefreepantry.org.