Over the course of two weekends, a group of six teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16 joined together to discuss and research food insecurity. They worked together to figure out what can be done to help those in our community who struggle with food insecurity. They decided that building a Little Free Pantry was a feasible way to give back to the community, and so they set forth on their mission. It was erected on Monday, Feb. 20, in front of the Children’s Tree Montessori school at 96 Essex Road in Old Saybrook. Through donations they were able to fully stock it and all the materials were either reused or donated from local businesses.

I am the coordinator for this project and these students should be recognized for their hard work and dedication to a very real problem in our communities.

The Children's Tree Montessori school has existed for over 25 years. We are expanding to include a maritime-based Montessori middle school, which is expected to open in 2024.