Little Libraries Become Little Food Pantries In Ossining

OSSINING, NY — Ossining's popular Little Free Libraries, the friendly neighborhood book-sharing program launched locally in 2019, have become Free Little Food Pantries to help people in the community in a new way.

The Ossining PTA initiated a drive to gather goods, and the cute Little Library shelters are now filled with non-perishable food items and other pantry items like toilet paper and soap.

"I hope that this project is incredibly successful and I love how the community has come together to make this happen. I would love to see even more libraries pop up around Ossining in the future," said Miriam Risko, Ossining PTA Council President. "We are so happy to have the little libraries provided needed resources for our community. Whether it’s books or food, the PTA is proud to always support our children."

In addition to the libraries outside Claremont, Park, Roosevelt and Brookside schools, there are also library-pantries at the waterfront and at Ryder Park. The Little Library at Mike Risko Music is a part of the Little Free Pantry Initiative.

The PTA is encouraging the community to take what they need and contribute what they can. In addition to dried foods like pasta, beans, coffee, rice (no cans or jars please) we would love to see the Libraries filled with toiletries, shampoo, soap, toothpaste and other things people need, Risko said.

To help keep the boxes filled, the PTA also arranged donation drop-off locations at several Ossining businesses: The Tasty Table, Logrea Dance Academy and Mike Risko Music School. Generous members of the community are leaving items at the collection points.

The Little Free Libraries project was launched in the fall of 2019. The teeny-tiny, free book repositories are part of what Little Free Library calls the world's largest book-sharing movement, meant to build community, spark creativity and inspire readers.

Claremont, Roosevelt, Park and Brookside became home to four little book shelters. Ossining community members were encouraged to leave a book and take a book at their leisure. Ossining school district staffers installed the libraries and checked on them periodically, adding book donations too.

In the first half of the 2019-20 school year, there was a lot of action at the libraries, Risko said.

There were reading events featuring Girl Scouts, teachers and even Ossining school district administrators. A committee of volunteers from the PTA seasonally decorated them and gave out snacks during book readings, and the events became quite popular.

When the coronavirus outbreak began in March 2020, people were afraid to take books and leave books for fear for germs. It was sad to see the libraries in the spring still decorated with their winter decor now weathered from the cold, Risko said.

In the summer, people began to venture out again, and the little libraries became active. "Heading out to the libraries became little adventures for kids and their parents. It was something to do and look forward to," Risko said.

Then the volunteers learned about the Little Free Pantries, an initiative to fill little free libraries with much needed pantry items for neighbors in need, and they pivoted.

"I am proud to live in a community where we are constantly trying to find ways to help our friends and neighbors. Turning the PTA Little Libraries into Little Pantries for those in need during this difficult time is just one more way we can help out," said AMD PTA delegate Jamie Idi.

The Ossining PTA has assigned different board members to care for the libraries including decorating them and making sure they are stocked. PTA members and residents are also asked to check on the little pantries as much as possible to ensure that they are stocked.

"At the end of January we hope to bring back the little libraries unless we see a great need for the pantries and perhaps then we will work on an initiative to have both libraries and pantries in the Ossining community," Risko said.

Patch has teamed with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.