O’NEILL, Neb. - A unique food pantry aims to help those in the O’Neill area struggling to put food on the table.

The emergency food pantry provides nonperishable food for those in need 24/7. The small booth is not staffed and runs on an “honor system.” Community members who are not experiencing food insecurity should leave the goods for others.

“Many of our communities have bi-weekly food pantries held in cooperation with the Food Bank of the Heartland or other state food banks,” Kelli Dempster with North Central District Health Department said. “These new emergency pantries are not intended to replace existing food pantry services; they are meant to supplement them.”

Dempster said that these pantries are truly meant to help those who are in an emergency and can’t wait for the bi-weekly food pantries to open.

“By working with our partners, we were able to identify a need for emergency food pantries,” Dempster said.

The Holt/Boyd Community Connections Collaborative partnered with North Central District Health Department and area high school construction classes to build and open the pantry. Similar pantries are planned throughout Holt and Boyd counties.

“The high school trades and industries classes built the pantries that will be located in O'Neill, Atkinson, Chambers, Butte and Lynch,” Holt/Boyd Community Connections Collaborative Coordinator Amy Shane said. "The high school Interact Club also purchased non-perishable food and stocked the O'Neill pantry for the first time."

Shane hopes that the pantries will not only help those who are struggling financially, but also be beneficial for the students who helped out.

“It’s great for students to learn about the importance of giving back to their communities,” Shane said. "These students can think of their contribution whenever they drive past the pantry and know that they have helped those less fortunate."

The pantry is designed to be self-sustaining with donations by local community members as needed.

The O'Neill pantry is located on the north side of the Assembly of God Church, located at 204 N 7th St.