Pittsburgh dad who gave away free canned food breaks down after finding mysterious envelope in mailbox
'You don’t need a permanent building to get something to go, just a tote and two coolers, and look where it can get you.'
AJ Owen, a father from Pittsburgh, opened a food pantry in his yard to feed neighbors in need and inspire others across the country to do the same. Owen wanted his sons to understand the situation that may arise if people lose SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, so he opened the food pantry with a very minimalistic setup. As Owen's initiative began to gain attention, an anonymous person, inspired by him, decided to surprise him with an envelope in his mailbox. On November 2, emotionally touched by the act, Owen posted a video (@ajpgh412) on TikTok, talking about the overwhelming surprise.
@ajpgh412 We will not let Pittsburgh go hungry #snap #foodpantry #foodbank #trump #pittsburgh ♬ original sound - ajpgh412
Owen and his sons had literally decided to start the food pantry with one tote and two hand coolers from their garage. For decorations, they used Christmas lights, labeled them with a Sharpie, and cleaned them up. "You don’t need a permanent building to get something to go, just a tote and two coolers, and look where it can get you," Owen told PEOPLE. He recalled how he informed his kids that SNAP was potentially going away, and they asked if they could help people in any way. Owen immediately decided on the food pantry, which has now gone viral with people loving his initiative. Inspired by him and his boys, an anonymous person left a special gift for them. When Owen opened his mailbox, he was surprised to find an envelope inside with a note that read, "May God prosper and bless your food pantry." The man thought somebody might have sent him gift cards, but was shocked when he saw a stack of hundred-dollar bills. "I truly didn’t know how to react. I froze. I started shaking, and I started crying," he said.
@ajpgh412 We’re going to help so many people 😭 #snap #foodpantry #foodbank #trump #pittsburgh ♬ original sound - ajpgh412
In his video, Owen, who was constantly crying while talking about the surprise, said, "We are really not going to let people go hungry." He was overwhelmed by the fact that the person had so much trust in him and knew Owen would make good use of their money. Since then, the man has restocked his pantry daily, filling bins with nonperishables, diapers, and formula. While Owen isn't sure what the future holds for the food pantry, he said he isn't going to stop anytime soon. "People deserve food, people deserve to be fed. As long as there’s a need in our community, we will keep this out," he announced. The estimated number of people affected by hunger globally has been on the rise, delaying the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition by 2030. The United Nations reported an increase of 46 million people affected by hunger in 2020, to 828 million in 2021. Considering the alarming situation, Owen's idea of setting up a food pantry is something more people must carry forward.
Meanwhile, reacting to Owen's story, @qlovespicard commented, "I was too embarrassed to use a food pantry when I was younger, but I needed it; I just suffered. Thank you for what you’re doing." Similarly, @would_youkindly_ suggested, "Don’t forget feminine hygiene products. We don’t often think of giving them to pantries, but women always need them. Thank you for your help."
@t1alh commented, "Please be so, so careful. Now that people know you receive cash and gift cards in the mail, some people may try to steal them. Maybe invest in a locked mailbox or camera nearby. I also live in PGH and I am just trying to offer some advice." @callme_vicks said, "CHILLS! God bless you and your boys! May your food pantry go the distance! My faith in humanity grew from this. Thank you for sharing." @juliewbrowneyes wrote, "People like you are going to save the hungry and not this criminal administration. Thank you for being an incredible human being and all the people in your community that are donating to your food pantry." @antifa_bre shared, "That's amazing! We are opening our food pantry tomorrow now that it’s all ready, and I just hope people use it — anyone who needs it. We’re in a red state in a rural area, a food desert, so I KNOW people here will need it. I just hope they will."
You can follow AJ Owen (@ajpgh412) on TikTok for more updates on the viral food pantry.
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