Brighten Your Day

Woman Starts Food Pantry In Her Basement To Help Others During Pandemic

March 6, 2021

A woman in Jackson County, West Virginia, has made a big difference during this pandemic by starting a food pantry in her own basement.

Rhonda Lee / WSAZ

Rhonda Lee started taking money out of her own pay checks to create a food pantry for those in need.

"Some weeks it was 200, some weeks 100," says Lee.

When Lee was laid off in June, she continued the pantry going with the money she had saved.

Rhonda Lee

Lee says she has strived to find ways to give back to the community after others helped her when she lost everything in a flash flood in 1995.

"I know what it's like to get up one day and everything's gone," she says. "They helped me, and I'm in a position, I'm gonna help others."

Lee says she helps anyone, no matter the circumstances. She even goes the extra mile and drops the boxes of food off herself.

"We don't tell people 'no'," she told WSAZ. "We just say 'how can we help?', 'what do you need?'"

For these reasons, Lee has been nominated for a local hometown hero award by her community.