Sad sign of the times. For our Little Free Pantry, I wanted to be sure to include toiletries as well as food. So I went up to our guest room, where I had this basket full of all the little hotel soaps and such that I gather while on conference travels; it’s been a nice way to give our guests a wide selection of shampoos and conditioners and lotions when they visit.
But of course, we’re in pandemic-land now, and we’re not likely to have guests again for many months. And all around us, people are being laid off, and our government fails to support them in the ways that they should. It’s still months to the November election, and even if there’s a shift in government, it’ll take some time to implement, I’m sure. There’s a hard autumn coming, and quite possibly a harder winter to come.
So I’ve filled the top drawer with little toiletries. Maybe they’ll help someone, a little bit. We’ll refill as it empties. And see the food — that’s not just us, already another neighbor has added some food items up there, which is great. While we work to win the election on the national level, we need to do what we can at every level, all the way down to the hyper-local. So here I am, emptying my travel toiletries into our new little free pantry.
Someday, I’ll be traveling again, and can replenish my guest room stock. In the meantime, there are greater needs.
