A Hattiesburg woman is taking action to support her community by launching a grassroots effort to fight food insecurity, one box at a time.
Randi Gardner, a member of The United House of Prayer for All People, recently started the Blessing Boxes initiative. The project provides free food and essential supplies to anyone in need through small, publicly accessible donation boxes.
Gardner says the idea came from a spiritual calling. Motivated by her faith, she followed through by placing the first Blessing Box in the parking lot of her church at 5050 Old Highway 42.
The box is stocked with non-perishable food items, things that won’t spoil in the heat, but there’s also a growing need for baby supplies and hygiene products. Yet the box isn’t only for the everyday Hattiesburg citizens but for college students as well.
“I really like the creation of the blessing box because it still provides for those who need it and is a way for those who want to help to do so” said Saniyah Saddler, student at the University of Southern Mississippi. “However, I do hope it makes a decent impact on our community …. people tend to get greedy or maybe a little too expressive with how they feel about certain things,” said Saddler.
While many outreach efforts face challenges, Gardner says this one has been met with strong support. In just one month, the community has already filled the box with a generous outpouring of donations.
There are no sponsors or official partners, just Gardner’s commitment to serve and a community eager to help.
Looking ahead, she hopes to expand the project by finding a way to safely store cold items, which would allow for donations of fresh produce and refrigerated goods.
Her advice for anyone inspired to do something similar? “Don’t wait, just do it.”
The Blessing Boxes are part of a broader mission supported by Gardner’s church, which hosts Sunday services starting at 9:00 a.m. and nightly prayer at 8:00p.m., open to all in the community.
As donations continue to grow, the Blessing Boxes stand as a reminder that small acts of kindness can have a big impact.
