LINCOLN — Hudson’s Bay High School sophomore Boston Brawley recently completed his Eagle Scout project, a mobile food pantry serving the Lincoln Elementary School community.
During the pandemic, the Brawley family volunteered at the FISH food pantry, distributing monthly food boxes and snack bags to those in need. About a year later, when it came time for Boston to choose his Eagle project, he decided he wanted to continue to help feed those who are struggling, since food costs have gone up so much.
“I wanted to build something that would have a lasting impact on many families for years to come,” said Brawley. He was inspired by the little food pantries on posts around town. Brawley reached out and made a connection with Lincoln Elementary’s Family-Community Resource Center coordinator, Judit Torrents. After meeting with her and discussing the school’s needs and concerns about graffiti and vandalism, Brawley designed a wheeled portable food pantry made of wood.
He showed his prototype to Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle’s husband, Terry, and got permission to lead a team to build it. Brawley’s Blessing Box is rolled out every morning in front of the school and rolled back in at the end of the school day, allowing families access to canned goods and household items without having to go into the school’s Family-Community Resource Center.
