Maple City residents Kelly Kieft and Scott Mills have started a homegrown, pop-up food bank adjacent to Pegtown Station in the heart of town.

“When all of this started to happen, I knew the most important thing is getting people food when things get tight,” says Kieft. “There was not a food bank in our hyper-local area, and thinking about our neighbors who are immune compromised, and those in our neighborhood who don’t drive, we wanted to create something accessible for everyone.”

Kieft says her friends Mary and Dave MacDonald, the owners of Pegtown Station, welcomed her to repurpose the outdoor seating area next to their restaurant for an open-air food pantry. Kieft is accepting non-perishable food donations at a drop-off station set up in her driveway (8510 S. Maple Street, Maple City), which she then quarantines and sterilizes before putting out at the food bank three blocks away. She replenishes the food supply daily.

“We have been doing this since the end of March and the response has been overwhelming,” Kieft says. “People hear about it when getting takeout at Pegtown, and lot of people drive through Maple City on their way to other points in Leelanau County. I may catch someone in the driveway making a donation and I get to meet a new neighbor from afar. In times of crisis people want to help out, when they see there is an easy way to do so.”

Kieft, who is not able to work her regular jobs due to the shutdowns, says, “It’s sort of become my job in the meantime. Our pantry is very DIY with easy, direct access to allow the food to go quickly and for people to have the privacy they might want to have. We want to let the community know that this resource is available.”

Make donations at 8510 S. Maple Street in Maple City, or call Kieft at 734-649-4469. The food bank is located next to Pegtown Station at 8654 S Maple City Rd, Maple City.