RED LION, Pa. — Jerry Pilachowski never expected his Little Free Food Pantry in Red Lion, York County would fulfill such big needs. He created the pantry in early April to help families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Shortly after opening, Pilachowski said the pantry served about 100 families a day.
“I had a single mom in here one day and she came in and said ‘Any chance you have formula?’ And I said, ‘Yeah we have some.’ She actually dropped to her knees crying because she couldn’t find it anywhere. There was none in the store,” remembered Pilachowski.
In two months, the roadside tent expanded into a shipping container, donated by a friend of Pilachowski's. A small group of volunteers helps stock the shelves and organize inventory. Pilachowski said a volunteer named Nycholee Connor worked full days at the pantry as demand surged.
Then, came the complaints.
“I got a call from [Windsor] Township that the Police Chief from York Area Regional called them and said that somebody complained we were being a traffic hazard, that people were crossing the street,” Pilachowski explained. “They’ve asked that we shut down to get rid of the traffic hazard.”
The pantry sits along Cape Horn Road in Windsor Township and tens of thousands of cars drive on the state road every day. As York County entered the yellow and green phase of reopening, traffic increased and Pilachowski understood the concerns. He decided to close his pantry on July 3, but adds that his pantry has not caused any accidents or traffic backups.
A shift supervisor at the York Area Regional Police Department said he was not aware of any complaints and commended Pilachowski for trying to help families through difficult times. Since the pantry sits on state property, it is unclear if the Township has any jurisdiction over shutting it down. Windsor Township Manager, Jennifer Gunnet, could not be immediately reached for comment.
One visit to the pantry and it is easy to see Pilachowski's far-reaching impact. Despite being closed on Sundays, a woman dropped off a donation of food after hearing about the pantry from her grandmother.
“There’s a lot of people who aren’t able to work and provide for their families so just knowing that we’ve kind of come together as a community and just donating things that we have is incredible,” said Courtney Kline, of Dallastown.
As long as the donations keep coming, Pilachowski is determined to fight for the families who need them.
“Some how or another, we’re going to keep going. It just may not be here,” said Pilachowski.
Visit Pilachowski’s Facebook page to learn more about how to donate and volunteer at the Red Lion Little Free Food Pantry.