A Rockford church is dedicating a free food pantry this weekend to honor the legacy of a pair of community volunteers.
Brooke Road United Methodist Church will host a dedication ceremony Sunday morning for a little free food pantry.
The “Dot-N-Ed’s Diner” was conceived by friends of Dorothy "Dot" Galloway and Ed Riddle.
The couple died due to complications from a car accident in 2013.
Linda Niemiec helped with the effort and knew the couple.
“[The Diner] is a lasting tribute to remember their caring spirit that lives on in all who knew them," Niemiec said. "It is an effort by their friends to carry on their legacy of community volunteerism and humanitarianism. Our vision is to carry on the work they so dearly loved by providing free and accessible food to those in need."
Galloway was known in Rockford as a passionate promoter of the arts.
"Dorothy and Ed’s spirit, dedication and passion to help those in need has been a tremendous asset for our community," Niemiec added. "Their decades of countless volunteer hours for 20 plus area nonprofits has greatly helped needed programs that has made our community a better place to live."
Violet Johnicker is pastor at Brooke Road. She says little free food pantries are similar to little free libraries.
“We will be putting non-perishable food items that are welcome for anybody to take," she said. "The beautiful inscription that Friends of Galloway painted on the outside says, ‘take what you need, leave what you can.’”
Rockford Urban Ministries coordinated the placement of the new ministry in a neighborhood where she says it will be well-used.
“Our church is located right next to a very busy laundromat," Johnicker said. "We are also along a bus route and we have a lot of pedestrian traffic there. I have no doubt that this little free food pantry will be well used and the hardest part will probably be keeping it stocked all of the time.”
Donations can be dropped off directly in the box or in the church Sundays through Thursdays.