A NEW LITTLE PANTRY ON CAPITOL HILL
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by Elizabeth O’Gorek
very five years, Liz Gregg gives herself many people —white people, she said —would shrug do something supportive right here in their corner of a significant birthday present, sometheir shoulders and say, really, does anyone actually the world,” Gregg said. “That was my point.” thing that goes out into the world. One take the food?” she said. Those same people would Gregg’s spouse, Eric Mader, said Gregg is the year, she learned to compost, acquired donate and be shocked to see those items disappear right person to put out the message. “She’s the pera composter and invited the neighbors within hours. fect person for this sort of thing, because she’s a good to use it. Five years ago, she had a Little Free Li“I wanted to provide the evidence that they can communicator,” he explains. “She’ll get the word out.” brary installed. On Nov. 7, Gregg celebrated her latest birthday with the dedication of Hobbes’s Little Free Pantry in her front yard at 521 Seventh St. NE. Gregg’s yard is in an optimal location for a Little Pantry, along a heavily trafficked pathway used by people going between H Street and Eastern Market. She said she made her choice because of the need exposed by the pandemic. She was further inspired by the power of the Little Free Library to inspire connection between neighbors as they give and receive. But more than anything, she wanted to draw attention to the need in our midst. The Little Pantry was up for a month prior to its dedication, she said. As she worked in her front garden, she would often speak to those who craned their neck to look at it, or even stopped on their way by. Liz Gregg, her son William and their cat, Hobbes (for whom the pantry is named) at the Nov. 7 dedication ceremony. “I can’t tell you how Photo: John Shore Photography December 2021 ★ 109
