Food items are available at 23469 Annapolis St. in Dearborn Heights courtesy of the Dearborn Heights Community Food Pantries Project.
By ANTHONY STONE
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — The Dearborn Heights Community Food Pantries Project will host a free pop-up store from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Richard A. Young Center, 5400 McKinley St.
The store will feature free non-perishable food items, hygiene products, and winter clothes. No registration is required to attend, and it is first come, first serve. There are no restrictions for receiving aid.
The store is collaboration with a Friendsgiving event hosted by Thrive By Any Means Necessary, a non-profit in Dearborn Heights. The two organizations will distribute hot meals and conducting a toy giveaway.
The event is made possible by donations from the pantry, Dearborn Heights libraries, a local business, and area residents. Refuge Skate Shop in Dearborn collected and donated menswear.
Also, a recent clothing drive at both Dearborn Heights libraries helped donate coats, sweaters and pants to the event.
Hygiene products and food are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Sadie Ziembowicz and Leslie Windless founded the pantry, 23469 Annapolis St., in July. Outside the residence, anyone is free to give and take items as they please from the storage cabinets.
“We try not to police them too much because we believe in self-determination,” Ziembowicz said. “Being a part of a community means determining what’s best for yourself and the community. We trust that people will take what they need.”
The pantries are stocked by donations from area residents, and organizations such as U.S. Food Rescue, Metro Food Rescue, and area residents.
Monetary donations are accepted via CashApp and Venmo at $dbhcommunitypantry.
The pantry is on Instagram at @Dearbornheightscommunitypantry and a Facebook group named Dearborn Heights Community Food Pantries Project.
For any questions or stocking requests, text 313-405-7502.