By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Dover, Tenn.–It’s the story of “The Little Engine That Could” and is one of the most unique blessing boxes you will find anywhere.
The Little Fire Truck Pantry has been serving Stewart County since August of 2020, thanks to Organizer Kathy Taylor who had an idea that grew and grew.
Taylor said, “I was trying to think of a way I could help people and I had heard about blessing boxes and thought this would be a good way to help.”
She said she looked up blessing boxes on Facebook and found the Atkins-Porter Food Pantry in Paris. “So one Sunday my husband and I went and looked at it and I thought, ‘How nice.’ The next step was where to try to put one,” she said.
The answer came right from her own background. Taylor had served on the North Stewart Volunteer Fire Department for over 25 years and thought that might be a good location for it.
“So I asked our captain Rick Joiner if I could maybe put it out front of the fire station and he said he would ask the board if it would be OK.”
As it turned out, the Fire Department did even more than providing the location. “They not only said it would be OK, they also are letting me use one of the older brush trucks” as a huge blessing box.
The old fire truck has several compartments and Taylor said, “I think it has worked out great.” The compartments can be used for different types of donations.
People give what they can and take what they need and Taylor said, “It’s an easy way for neighbors to help neighbors who are in need. And the community has been great helping keeping it stocked. I do go check it every morning and every afternoon.”
Donations can be canned food, hygiene products, paper products, and more. The compartments are labelled for easy navigation. She also asked people who are donating and those who are in need to help keep the fire truck neat and tidy. “And please don’t litter.”
Most importantly, Taylor said, the Little Fire Truck Pantry lets those in need know “that your community loves you.”
The Little Fire Truck Pantry is located at 2343 Hwy. 79, Dover.
Photos by Kathy Taylor.
