美国国家公共电台 NPR A New Type Of Food Pantry Is Sprouting In Yards Across America

 

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: 

They are popping up in neighborhoods across the country, hand-built little boxes that people put in front of their homes, churches or businesses. And they go by different names, like Little Free Pantry or Blessing¹ Box. They are all trying to do the same thing though, to get direct food donations to people in need. Deborah Shaar of member station KMUW in Wichita has more.

DEBORAH SHAAR, BYLINE²: Mature trees line the streets of a neighborhood just west of downtown Wichita. Houses sit close together with shared driveways and detached³ garages out back. With schools and the city's museums nearby, there's a lot of foot traffic here. And that's why Maggie Ballard thought her yard was a good place for what she calls a Blessing Box.

MAGGIE BALLARD: I felt like this is something that I could do - something small - that, you know, would benefit so many people as long as the word got out about it.

SHAAR: The bright red box is about two feet wide and is mounted⁴ on a post near the street. It looks like a little free library, but instead of books, the shelves are filled with food and personal care items. Ballard and her son check on it every day and restock as needed.

BALLARD: My son is 6 years old, so it gives him a little chore to, you know, kind of watch it and see what comes and goes and who comes and goes and maybe learn a little lesson from it.

SHAAR: There's a door on the front of the box, but no lock, so anyone can take what they need 24/7. Stacey Schwanke has stopped by with food donations a few times since the box went up in October.

STACEY SCHWANKE: We dropped off some breakfast food, some pasta, some sauce, some crackers⁵ and some soups.

SHAAR: The food pantry idea has been spreading through social media the past six months. Food pantries have gone up across the country. Much of it seems to trace back to Jessica McClard, who created what she calls The Little Free Pantry in northwest Arkansas.

JESSICA MCCLARD: The products that are stocked are put directly inside the pantry, and turnover⁶ is in about 30 to 45 minutes. The frequency of the turnover and the fact that other sites in town are also turning over that frequently, it suggests to me that the need is tremendous.

SHAAR: All of the items inside the boxes are free, and there are no forms to fill out. Those using the boxes come and go as they wish. And that sense of anonymity⁷ is something you won't find at traditional community food pantries. Maggie Ballard has only seen a few people using her pantry because most visitors come when it's dark.

BALLARD: Most of the traffic is in the middle of the night, I would say between midnight and maybe 7 in the morning.

SHAAR: Ballard says it's both awesome⁸ and sad to see the turnover of goods every day. On Christmas Eve, she watched as a family of three opened her box to find a bag of bagels and started eating them right there. Jessica McClard says these community-supported pantries are multiplying because of their simple concept.

MCCLARD: We're all short on time and money, and this is a way that people can feel like they're making a difference.

SHAAR: The food pantries come in all sizes. Some have religious connections and are located near churches. Others are adopted by businesses whose employees want to pay it forward. All are serving up food and supplies to anyone in need. For NPR News, I'm Deborah Shaar in Wichita, Kan.

(SOUNDBITE OF XPLODING PLASTIX SONG, "THE CAVE IN PROPER")

1 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 detached   

a.超然的；冷漠的；分离的

参考例句：

• She wanted him to stop being so cool, so detached, so cynical. 她希望他不再那么冷酷无情，那么无动于衷，那么愤世嫉俗。
• The general detached a small force to go and guard the palace. 将军派遣一支小部队去保卫宫殿。

4 mounted   

adj.骑在马[自行车]上的；安装好的；裱好的v.登上，骑上( mount的过去式和过去分词)；增加，上升；上演；准备

参考例句：

• He mounted his horse and rode off. 他跨上马骑走了。
• He saddled his horse, mounted, and rode away at a gallop. 他给马套上鞍子，跨上马背疾驰而去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 crackers   

adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘

参考例句：

• That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
• We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

7 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

8 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.