DETROIT – It’s not uncommon to see neighbors gathering around a tent on Seward near Second Avenue in Detroit’s New Center area.
They gather a couple of times a week, waiting for delivery trucks to arrive with food for the Seward Sharing Table.
“It’s a hub,” said volunteer Bonnie Askew. “We can keep up with each other.”
The Seward Sharing Table is a 24-hour community pantry of sorts. People can leave, or take, a variety of food and groceries to feed their bodies.
A neighbor named Gail said, “To be able to get to a place to get resources, that’s a blessing. It’s a blessing beyond blessing, you know.”
The Seward Sharing Table distributes nutritious options to help families get by.
“We get donations from Metro Food Rescue and Food Rescue Us,” explained Steven Rimmer, a Coordinator with the Tenants Association of New Center Plaza and Marlenor.
He’s a regular presence around the Seward Sharing Table.
“It’s a lot of people paying higher rent prices, right now, and struggling,” Rimmer explained. “They’re making decisions between paying their rent and buying food.”
Rimmer said he’s passionate about volunteering his time at the pantry and making sure neighbors who need food have access to it.
“You go to the supermarket, right now, and you spend $100 and you’re not getting that much,” Rimmer shared. “Food is just so expensive right now, and people need food to survive. So, it is very important for people to have the access to that, without any restrictions or any barriers.”
Volunteers and the neighbors said they’re dedicated to keeping Seward Sharing Table up and running, despite push-back from some in the community who’ve called the pantry a nuisance.
Rimmer said his efforts are about putting people first.
“I think people should know about things like this. The more people to come together and look out for one another, the better the community will be.”
The Seward Sharing Table started during the pandemic. Its regular food distribution is on Tuesdays and Sundays. The program is free and open to the public.
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