McKinney woman sets up food pantry boxes for people in need

MCKINNEY, Texas - A McKinney woman started several small food pantries open to anyone in need. She’s now expanding the service to keep up with growing demand since school is out.

The boxes are simple: a red door, plywood and tin roof. There is no key and no form to fill out.

 Teri Youngdale got the idea for Red Door Food Pantries after friends fell on hard times.

“They were just both in between jobs. That's all it was. But they had a good two-week period where they didn't know what they were going to do,” she said. “It doesn't matter what race, color, religion, political affiliation you are. You are welcome to come get the food at any time.”

It started with four pantries, including one that sits in front of Youngdale's West Hunt Street home. On a normal day, she restocks it three times. But with school out, she's refilling it five to six times a day.

One of the pantries is conveniently located across the street from where parents register kids for a free summer meals program offered by the Department of Agriculture. But only certain schools are included.

Youngdale worries many kids can't take advantage of it.

“Kids are hungry and parents are stressed when kids are hungry,” she said.

Linda Gibson takes care of an elderly friend. And for them, the Red Door is a God send.

“For those who do it, God bless them because that's what it's about,” she said. “It just motivates me to go out and get more and make sure that we put more pantries out.”

The food pantry is always looking for food or monetary donations. For more information on how to donate and to see the food pantry locations, click here. A GoFundMe page has also been set up.