BALTIMORE — A 500-pound cupboard is set to be installed in the 2400 block of Harmen Avenue on Baltimore's southwest side. It's call the Cupboards Project and it's coming to the Mount Winans neighborhood later this week.
"This is something that is so desperately needed," said Angela Smothers, president of the Mount Winans Community Association. "It's a way to help those in need 24/7."
Smothers, designers, community leaders, businesses and various city departments were in the neighborhood Tuesday to kick off the building launch.
Helping out are two HGTV hosts, Matt Muenster and Chris Grundy. The pair have been busy designing the mini food pantries that will be installed throughout Maryland. Matt and Chris have been documenting the process and competing to design the winning cupboard.
Communities are working with Priority Partners to provide food and nutrition resources to local communities, specifically those where there's a food desert or food scarcity.
The mini pantry will be installed by Friday.
"It weighs about 500 pounds," said a project manager. "It will have solar lights so that people can see the items inside. It's also weatherproofed. A lot of design effort has gone into this project."
"I'll be one of first people to help stock it," said Smothers. "We have big plans for this plot of land. Eventually we want to bring back the rec center that once stood here. For now, this is a small step in the right direction."
