GARDEN CITY, Mich. (WXYZ) — Elizabeth Freeman has always had a giving spirit. From working in the service industry to helping out her neighbors, she is the one her community can lean on.
As yet another act of love for her community, she set out a small box of food for others to come by and pick when they were in need in 2023.
“I just wanted to help some of my neighbors that were working really hard but were still struggling to put food on the table,” said Elizabeth.
Little did Elizabeth know that box would turn into a fully stocked, 24/7 community pantry.
FULL VIDEO: Elizabeth Freeman give tour of her community food pantry
As the word spread around the community, so did the desire for others to help. Local businesses started to reach out and offer donations, causing the pantry to grow.
Sandy Abraham is a resident at the Garden City Tower apartments for seniors. She told me she and her neighbors at the tower frequently use the pantry.
“We’re able to give extra food to people that maybe just got home from the hospital who can’t cook on their own," said Sandy.
Kim Popplin tells me when she lost her job, the community pantry was a lifesaver for her.
“I had just lost my job and I had the whole month of July with no income coming in,” said Kim.
It isn’t exclusive to just Garden City, either. During their time of need, Elizabeth and her family jumped at the opportunity to help residents affected by the water main break in southwest Detroit.
“Southwest Detroit, when they had their flood, my daughter and I gave her a call, and she said, come on. And we filled the whole back of my daughter’s car,” said Sandy.
