Prepare the milk signal. Milkman is coming to Harrisburg.
Actually, he's already here. Gary Grant, a Carlisle area businessman who, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, has been spending money out-of-pocket to leave milk on park fence posts, is now expanding his good Samaritan work to the capital city. Grant, and business partner Carlos Legaro, have been leaving milk and vegetables in plastic bags along the playground fence at South 15th and Vernon Streets in the city's Allison Hill neighborhood. Last Sunday, they also started leaving milk at the baseball field in Harrisburg's Hall Manor Housing Development.
Grant runs Relax and Ride Carlisle, an airport shuttle service which has taken a financial hit since the start of the pandemic with fewer and fewer people traveling. Business is starting to pick back up though, both for Grant's professional work, and his side job.
"As a business, I felt like I needed to do something positive for the people in the community," Grant said. "I wanted my business to be thought of as somebody that's not just taking from the community but giving back as well.
Legaro helps Grant advertise his business. When the Allison Hill resident told Grant he thought his community could benefit from the milk program, the two partnered to start supplying. Beginning in early August, Grant started to leave 50 gallons of milk and an assortment of vegetables for anyone to take beginning at 7am on Sundays. The milk is paid for by Grant out of pocket, though Giant Foods donated $500 which has not yet tapped into. The produce is donated by Clair's Orchard in Carlisle.
Later on Sunday nights at 7pm, Grant still gives out milk, bread, and eggs - donated by Leo's Ice Cream - at Memorial Park. Because of the bread and eggs, the Carlisle giveaway is more of a drive-thru than it is a fence post.