Overview
- AJ Owen and his two sons in Whitehall launched a free front‑yard pantry after a roughly $150 grocery run, and about 70% of the food was gone by the next morning.
- A TikTok video about a cash‑filled mailbox envelope has drawn roughly 18 million views and 4 million likes, accelerating donations and inspiring similar projects.
- An anonymous donor left an envelope with “thousands” in $100 bills and a blessing note, and the family has been restocking daily with items such as diapers, formula and pantry staples.
- Support now includes neighbors and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Yahya Black, who dropped off “tons of food,” with national outlets like Good Morning America spotlighting the effort.
- Communities in places like Birmingham, Alabama, and Athens, Vermont, have launched their own free‑food efforts during the ongoing federal shutdown’s SNAP payment delays, while Owen’s pantry remains open 24/7 behind the Cassie Village Shopping Center.