FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A teenager in the Lakewood Park community is making a big impact with a small pantry outside her family’s home. What began as a simple idea during the government shutdown has grown into a bustling, free food pantry that’s drawing gratitude and support from across Fort Pierce.
17-year-old Chloe Tucker said she launched the pantry when families temporarily lost access to SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
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“It’s a way for someone to get food that they can’t normally get and I believe everyone should have access to that,” Tucker said.
The shelves are stocked with nonperishable foods and hygiene items staples Tucker says many people can’t always afford.
As the pantry has grown, so has the feedback from residents who rely on it. Tucker keeps a collection of handwritten thank-you notes, each a reminder of how far her effort reaches.
“These are little notes that we’ve gotten in our recommendations notes areas. [One says], ‘Mom of 7. Such a blessing. Happy holidays,’” she said.
Our Cassandra Garcia asked Tucker how those messages make her feel.
“It’s nice, it makes me realize that just because I’m doing this and I’m helping a couple of people, it’s helping a lot more people because I’m helping their family, their kids, the people that love them,” Tucker said.
Among the visitors Wednesday morning were Richard and Jeanette Chausse, who say fixed incomes and rising prices are hitting seniors particularly hard.
“We bring stuff home and then we bring it to other people in our neighborhood because we live in a 55+ community and there’s a lot of people that can’t get out of their homes, so we bring it to them,” Jeanette Chausse said.
Tucker’s mother, Amanda, said the response has been overwhelming.
“I didn’t expect it to take off the way that it did, as fast as it did. It makes me not only proud of her, but the community,” she said.
“It’s great to see how well a community can come together to help one another just to help one another when they all see what good it could do,” Chloe added.
The pantry is located at 6803 Citrus Park Boulevard in Fort Pierce. It's filled with items such as lentils, beans, jasmine rice and holiday stuffing, along with hygiene essentials. Tucker restocks it using overflow supplies stored inside her home, but says keeping up with demand will take the community's help, especially during the holiday season.
“This over here is our overflow pile, we have a lot of canned goods, hygiene products. We are looking for more hygiene products, specifically soaps and shampoos,” she said.
For Tucker, the effort is all about giving back to the neighborhood she cares so much about.
