Coral Springs Mom Launches Front Porch Food Pantry to Support Families During SNAP Freeze

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Ethan and Carmen in front of their food pantry. {courtesy}

When Coral Springs resident Lindsay Poveromo-Joly read about the federal freeze on SNAP benefits being a byproduct of the ongoing federal shutdown, she and her children, ages 9 and 14, were moved to act.

“My kids and I were feeling helpless and thought about ways to help the community,” she tells Coral Springs Talk. “It’s super important to me as a parent to model community care for my children. They’ve been raised to know we do what little good we can when we can, and that it’s always our responsibility to care for our neighbors and community.”

That family principle led to the creation of the Cypress Run Porch Pantry, a free food pantry set up right outside their home at 10932 Northwest 13th Court. The idea, Lindsay explained, came after seeing a Facebook post from an acquaintance in Oklahoma who had built a “Little Free Library” style pantry for food.

Inspired by the idea of banding the community together to make a difference, she and her kids began adding extra non-perishables to their grocery list. They then asked friends and relatives to set aside items from their own pantries.

“We began shopping for dry goods and then shared our idea on moms’ groups on Facebook,” Lindsay said. “The donations started pouring in. We launched our food pantry on our front porch in Cypress Run and have been serving families all day, as well as having folks who saw my posts on Facebook come by with donations to keep the table stocked.”

Within hours of her first post, Lindsay said the project grew faster than she could have imagined. “Within maybe two hours, I began receiving Venmo donations from strangers to cover shopping costs, and grocery donations started showing up at my door,” she said. “People were texting to ask what items we needed most, offering to deliver boxes of food to people without transportation or to cook meals for those in need. It’s been incredible.”

Her children, she said, have played a key role in keeping the pantry running smoothly. “My nine-year-old is my best helper, keeping the table stocked and taking inventory on what the popular items are,” Lindsay said proudly. “Seeing the need up close really propelled them to want to do more.”

Lindsay said she had expected some negativity when she first shared the idea online, but was instead met with overwhelming kindness. “You see a lot of angry, cruel, and unkind comments online, but that hasn’t been the case here,” she said. “Everyone has been focused on children having nourishment, joy, and helping the community without judgment or cruelty.”

She added, “I hesitate to use the word ‘joy,’ because I know how insensitive it can sound when people are struggling to survive, but there has been a lot of joy surrounding this project. Moms drop off cookie packs and granola bars, fresh bread, and even frozen pizzas. Things that bring smiles to kids’ faces.”

The pantry operates daily from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with after-hours pickups available upon request via text at (954) 464-0980. Lindsay takes items in overnight to avoid attracting wildlife, but restocks the table each morning.

“We’re accepting any and all donations,” she said. “Popular items have been peanut butter, frozen meat and chicken, pasta, pasta sauce, canned tuna, instant potatoes, canned beans, cereal cups, and Pop-Tarts.”

Her family has also set up an Amazon wishlist for high-need items.

“My husband works from home and my kids homeschool, so someone’s always here to bring in items or restock the table,” Lindsay said. “People never need to ask before they come to pick up food; they’re always welcome.”

Even local professionals have joined the effort. “My children’s pediatrician, Dr. Nicole Wolters at Boca Pediatric Group, sent us an enormous delivery of food,” she said. “It’s been so moving to see everyone, from educators to doctors, step up to help.”

Lindsay said she plans to keep the pantry open as long as the community needs it. “As long as we have the resources and donations, as long as the need is there, it’s our job to help,” she said. “We can’t meet every need, but we can meet some. And that matters.”

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiple outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.