LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — The brisk air Sunday morning wasn’t the only shock to the McIntyre family.
Yet again, they awoke to find the community pantry at the end of their Leavenworth home's drive empty.
“It just seems like more and more we are getting wiped out daily,” Kat McIntyre said.
The McIntyres work to restock the pantry each morning, but even their backstock has taken a hit this season.
“[We are] starting to see a lot of the same faces,” Lucy McIntyre said. “A lot of the same cars pull up.”
Kat and Lucy started the pantry, which is now officially a 501(c)(3), after seeing a neighbor in need.
Accepting donations, monetary and physical goods, has given them hope in creating a more consistent thread of kindness for neighbors.
“We understand that we are making a difference,” Kat McIntyre said. “But there is still so much room to grow and so much of a need there that we still need to fill.”
While Leavenworth is home to three traditional grocery stores, they are all located in the city's southern half.
“If you live on the north side of town and don’t have transportation, you’re really limited in what you have access to as far as getting healthy food, getting food in general," Kat McIntyre said.
The McIntyres are planning to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for their family of 11 and their neighbors in need.
Anyone interested in donating can do so via their website.
