Families struggling to put food on their tables are getting a welcome boost from neighborhood micro pantries stocked by the kindness of local donors.
And now, thanks to an innovative young woman and her not-for-profit, pet lovers are getting some help, too.
Korey Ziemkowski, 21, is founder and CEO of Girl in Lansing, which seeks to provide food for families who need some help, especially these days as federal assistance funding is stalled.
With assistance from her dad, Kevin, she has been building micro pantries since she was a young teen. To date, they have constructed and installed 16 micro pantries and one full-sized food pantry.
Their most recent effort is the first-ever pet pantry, which is near Monee’s Fireman’s Park.
Like the food pantries for humans, the pet pantry has shelves for food donations, cat litter, collars, leashes, and any other supplies pet owners might need to keep their companion animals healthy.
But in a clever twist, there are spaces on the outside walls of the little building marked for sticks and toys. As with the human food pantries, the idea is “take what you need and leave what you can.”
The pet pantry is dedicated to beloved Monee veterinarian Dr. Lynlee Wessels, whose care of animals and contributions to the village are generous and on-going.
“It is truly an honor to have the Pet Pantry dedicated to me and the Animal Wellness Center of Monee,” Wessels said. “I am very grateful Monee now has a place where residents can access short-term pet food assistance when needed.
“Since the pet pantry opened, food, supplies, and toys have been taken quickly – a clear reminder of how great the need is within our community. It is my sincere hope that, together with our residents, we can continue to keep the pantry well-stocked and available for all who need it.
“This is yet another reason why I love Monee – we take care of each other.”
A student at Olivet Nazarene University, Korey said she was inspired to create the pet pantry after meeting Dianna Kroll, a certified cynophile and dog mom, who also serves as director of Monee Parks and Recreation.
“I was introduced to Dr. Wessels through Dianna, who always has admired her passion for feeding pets. Dr. Therese Bogs, Monee mayor, was a friend of my mom, who passed along information to Dianna, about the micro pantry builds. Since Dianna always had the passion to create a pet pantry, with Dr. Wessels in mind, Dianna and I created plans.
“Originally, I did not plan on putting up a pet pantry, as it was just a far-fetched wish,” Korey admitted. “There was potential to put one in my hometown, Lansing, but when I met Dianna, I was ecstatic! We talked on the phone about putting up a food pantry, and when she brought up the potential of also building a pet pantry, I was on board. We talked briefly about setting up the pantry and, while I was building with a group of middle schoolers from Salem Lutheran Church in Homewood, we made the plan come to life. The kids helped with painting and building the micro pantry, also helping us think through ideas of making it pet-friendly.
“The entire project was a group effort, all inspired by Dianna.
“The pet pantry is the 15th pantry, and the food pantry at the building next door (replacing a previous build) is number 16! Our first micro pantry was at First United Methodist Church in Lansing, with the help of Pastor Dave Price, on October 8, 2020. We have our micro pantries in Lansing and then Munster and Hammond, Indiana, Flossmoor, Homewood, South Holland, Burr Ridge, and now Monee.
“We started the nonprofit in April 2021, shortly before we opened our full-size food pantry,” she continued. “At the time, we had five micro pantries, and we were beginning to stock and establish a full-size food pantry in Lansing. As we continue expanding micro pantry locations, the easiest way to donate is directly to a micro pantry location. With so many pantries across the area, we find it more impactful for families to begin a routine stocking a micro pantry.
“My favorite is when families tell us they visit it once a month, to donate extra food. We also take larger donations from families/food drives, donating them directly to our churches and community partners to stock the pantry with.”
After five years, Korey has the construction of the pantries down to a science.
“When we built our first Micro pantry, it cost nearly $500, but in recent years it has cost under $150,” she said.
“We have had an incredible amount of community members, family, friends, and strangers donate to our micro pantry builds. Many times, we are looking for siding, shingles, usable plywood and hardware, and our community seems to provide. Many times, I have been welcomed into families garages to take whatever I could use, it has truly been one of the biggest blessings. We do have to buy materials, like 4 x 4, wood and plexiglass, to ensure the micro pantry is safe, and sturdy.
“In recent years, it has taken a bit longer to build Micro pantries, as I have been studying (at Olivet), but we built the pet pantry during the summer. We started building in June, with the help of kids from Salem Lutheran Church. After building the base of the pantry and main box of the micro pantry, my dad and I finished the final touches, roof, and doors in my Grandma‘s garage. My Grandma is only 10 minutes away from my house (when I’m living with my parents), so it has always been a pleasure to work on the pantry, and then go visit my Grandma. We finished the pantry in about mid-August, just in time for move-in day at Olivet.
“I have the most incredible help from my father, Kevin Ziemkowski, who brings the logistics to the projects,” she said.
“We have been building them together for about five years, and we still are learning. We have learned to adjust the plans to fit locations better and, with the pet pantry, learned to create a micro pantry that stands out and resembles the love for our pets.
“While building the micro pantry, I had four dogs, who were the inspiration behind the ‘take a stick, leave a stick wall’,” Korey added.
“We always have had many pets in our home, including a foster lizard and a foster bunny. We have had birds, hamsters, and fish – we have always had animals! With the idea that the pet pantry includes all animals, I’m so excited to see what the community stocks the micro pantry with.”
With her 22nd birthday approaching in January and graduation in the spring, she is looking forward to beginning her life career.
“I’m currently studying social work, and I will be graduating in May with my bachelors degree. I am in utter awe of our program, as they create a community like none other, on campus and in the Kankakee – Bourbonnais area.
“My long-term career goal is to work with children or community outreach, using my social work degree. I am beyond excited to start using my degree, and building relationships in the community, whether that is in my hometown, in the Kankakee area, or somewhere else!”
Like her parents, Korey is close to her younger brother, Cody, 20,
“He is my best friend. I can not express how grateful I am for our relationship, as he constantly brings me peace and joy when we are together. Cody is always the first to help when I have a large food donation to pick up or a micro pantry that needs to be repaired. My parents are the most helpful and encouraging parents, as they always continue to support me with each new micro pantry or our Girl in Lansing events. We had an event on November 1, 2024, where we gave away four pallets of books to the community, and my parents were the biggest help! They go along with any ideas, with the same passion to help the community!”
Those interested in donating to the micro pantries can find more information on Instagram and Facebook at @girlinlansing. Pantries also can be found at: First United Methodist Church of Lansing, 18420 Burnham Avenue, Lansing; Bethel Christian Reformed Church, 3500 Glenwood-Lansing Road, Lansing; Cornerstone Church, 3440 178th Street, Lansing; Christ Our Savior Catholic Parish, 880 E 154th Street, South Holland; Lighthouse Community Church, 17500 Lighthouse Lane, Lansing; InnerMission Neighborhood Farm, 5502 Claude Avenue, Hammond, Indiana; Lansing Public Library, 2750 Indiana Avenue, Lansing; First United Methodist Church of Hammond, 6635 Hohman Avenue, Hammond, Indiana; St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 8601 Harrison Avenue, Munster, Indiana; Flossmoor Community Church, 2218 Hutchison Road, Flossmoor; Life Compass Church, 175 S Wall Street, Kankakee; Riverside Community Church, 7449 Jefferson Avenue, Hammond, Indiana; Salem Lutheran Church, 18424 Ashland Avenue, Homewood; and Burr Ridge Community Church, 15W100 Plainfield Road, Burr Ridge.