Chamber’s Little Free Pantry receives strong support for holidays
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Mandi Pryor, executive director of the South West Communities Chamber of Commerce, speaks at the June ribbon cutting for the Little Free Pantry.
The Little Free Pantry at the South West Communities Chamber of Commerce
The South West Communities Chamber of Commerce said thanks to a tremendous community effort, its Free Little Pantry has helped more people in need this holiday season.
Dozens of bags of food and hundreds of dollars came pouring in from around the region to help the chamber supply food to those in need after executive director Mandi Pryor made a call for donations on social media.
The Little Free Pantry has been serving those in the South Hills since December 2018. After a strong storm destroyed the original pantry built by executive director, Pancho Timmons, of Pennsylvania Youth Initiative, a new pantry was put in place in July 2020.
“It was heartbreaking to see that our pantry was completely empty three weeks ago, now thanks to remarkable community effort, we have enough food and donations to keep those in need hungry well into the new year,” Pryor said. “We are so proud of everyone who put in so much effort to help in a time when it is so crucially needed.”
The Little Free Pantry serves all of the South Hills and is open throughout the year. Nonperishable food items and monetary donations can be dropped off at the South West Communities Chamber building, 990 Washington Pike, Collier Township. Excess food will be donated to Washington City Mission and Washington County Food Bank.
The South West Communities Chamber of Commerce is a pro-business membership organization serving business and local communities for almost 100 years. Member municipalities include Bridgeville, Carnegie, Heidelberg, Collier, Scott, South Fayette and Upper St. Clair, as well as surrounding regions in and around the South Hills.