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CANDICE'S MOBILE PANTRY
A lady who cares about her new community and wants to give back.In 2018, Candice, with her husband and family from the East side of Buffalo, moved to the Riverside. For her family, it was a big adjustment moving away from friends and family and moving to a neighborhood that was very rich in diversity. After living in Riverside for a few months, Candice wanted to find a way to unite her neighborhood.Candice formed a block club on her street. She also noticed that her community wasn't receiving the same resources as other neighborhoods in Buffalo; they lacked grocery stores, better known as a food desert.Riverside and Black Rock are the 2nd neediest zip codes in Buffalo. Now Candice was already involved with helping her father, who has a nonprofit that gives out the necessities to low-income neighborhoods on the East Side of Buffalo. So she used her connections and started giving away food; her first time was in front of her home, but that wasn't enough; Candice felt more needed to be done.So, in May 2022, Candice gave her first food giveaway on the corner of Chadduck and Ontario in Riverside called Healing Souls Saturday. Candice and her husband Larry started to give out food, clothes, and household items that were donated to them every Saturday at noon. They made sure they were there every Saturday giving out something,even if it wasn't a lot of items to give away. They wanted the community to know they were here to stay and not here just now and then. Too many things started and stopped and fell by the wayside, and they didn't want that to happen in their neighborhood.In Feb 2023, right after the December Blizzard Candice Mobile Pantry was established. Many stores in Candice's neighborhood were closed due to looting, which made it hard for families to get groceries and essentials. So Candice, her husband, and a few volunteers started to move to various corners in Black Rock and Riverside and serve more residents who may be in need. It has been almost a year, and things are improving. The community and businesses now know and acceptCandice's Mobile Pantry as a place to go on Saturdays, and people can get basic stuff that they didn't have or could not get before. We still have a long way to go. Trying to help a large community like Riverside and Black Rock is a huge undertaking. We need more donations, volunteers, and supplies to pass out. But for now, Candice and Larry are doing the bulk of the work and ensuring they have enough essentials to pass out on Saturdays.Candice and Larry have been passing out stuff on Saturdays in the wind, rain or snow to a community they love. Candice can be seen talking to the many people with her BULL HORN AND A BIG SMILE. In a short time, Candice and Larry have made a massive difference in a community that needs help.If you know of any businesses, volunteers, or organizations who can help this boots-on-the-ground organization, please call Candice at (716) 471-0453. Candice does a Facebook live video on Saturdays, and her following is impressive! She has about 2,000 views every time she goeslive on her Facebook page, informing her followers where she is set up so they come and visit Candice’s Mobile Pantry. Candice’s mobile Pantry is a 501(c) (3) Organization.
