Blessing boxes feed the hungry from Pueblo West to Avondale
At the height of the pandemic, retired Pueblo West resident GT Davis was searching for a way to help his community while also keeping his family safe.
Before the pandemic, Davis was volunteering with Meals on Wheels and the Pueblo Soup Kitchen. Being a high risk individual, he decided to take a step back from volunteering and isolate himself to protect both him and his wife once the virus began making its way around Pueblo County.
While in isolation, Davis kept an eye on the television as historic events unfolded.
“I watched a lot of news, watching how the pandemic is affecting a lot of people and food banks,” he said. “The lines were just ridiculously long and are getting longer by the day throughout that summer and it just killed me. It just broke my heart watching these people stand in line for food.”
“I felt like I had to do something,” he said. “I didn’t know what I could do to be safe for myself and my family, yet be able to volunteer and to make a difference.”
After searching on the internet, Davis learned about a growing movement happening in other parts of the country. Small outdoor community pantries or ‘Blessing Boxes’ were being stocked with non-perishable food items, books, clothing and toiletries for those in need.
Davis checked to see if the movement had gained momentum in his own community. He found about 18 boxes filled with books, but none with food. He took initiative to build the first of any Blessing Boxes in Pueblo outside his home.
“It took me a couple weeks to build it,” he said. “I put it out there and then I announced on social media on Christmas Eve of 2020 that I have a blessing box in the front yard. I explained what it does and what it’s for.”
“Within a few hours, people filled it with non-perishable foods that we requested,” he said. “It just blew me away. After that, the information got out and people were really interested in having a Blessing Box on their property.”
From Pueblo West to Avondale, 27 Blessing Boxes are scattered throughout Pueblo County. Some of them were built by Davis, while others were built by other community members eager to make a difference.
“My main goal has been to inspire people,” Davis said. “Whether it’s building a Blessing Box, donating food to a Blessing Box or donating food to another organization. I just wanted to inspire people and I am real happy about where it has gone from there. It has just kind of blown me away.”
To learn more about Blessing Boxes or donate to a Blessing Box nearby, community members can visit the Blessing Boxes website at http://www.pueblocountyblessingboxes.com/ or visit the Blessing Box Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuebloCountyBlessingBoxes/.
