Built for Florida weather
48 by 25 by 68 inches. Pressure-treated Southern Yellow Pine, cedar doors, shingle roof. About $695 to build, no electricity needed, and fully removable.
Nourish Network
Free food, 24 hours a day, no questions asked
Free, 24/7 community food access for Clay County. Hosted by libraries, parks, and schools. Sponsored by neighbors. Run in partnership with The Kitchen of Clay County, with open-source pantry designs anyone can build in their own community.
“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness.”
Isaiah 58:10
The hidden need
Food insecurity here doesn't look like what people expect
Clay County's overall median income masks deep pockets of need in Middleburg, Clay Hill, Keystone Heights, and parts of Orange Park and Green Cove Springs.
- Statistic
- 20
- Clay County schools qualify for CEP: every student eats free because poverty is concentrated enough to qualify the whole school
- Source: Clay County District Schools
- Statistic
- 38%
- of Northeast Florida households are below the ALICE threshold: employed, but unable to cover basics
- Source: United Way NEFL
- Statistic
- 63%
- of Northeast Florida adults under 25 are below the ALICE threshold
- Source: United Way NEFL
- Statistic
- 0
- free 24/7 community pantries currently exist in the highest-need areas of Clay County
- Source: Nourish Network research
Why 24/7, no questions asked
Reaching where traditional pantries can't
Existing food pantries do essential work, but they have limits. Nourish Network is built to fill the gaps.
| Where traditional pantries can't reach | What Nourish Network adds |
|---|---|
| Closed evenings, weekends, holidays | Open 24 hours, every day |
| Hard to reach without a car | Walking distance to housing and bus routes |
| Stigma keeps some neighbors away | Take what you need. No questions, no forms. |
| Paperwork, ID checks, eligibility forms | Right next to libraries and parks people already trust |
| Working families miss the open hours | Backed by a sponsor and a nonprofit, not office hours |
What a Nourish Network pantry looks like
Engineered for outdoor use, vandal resistance, and visibility
Vandal-resistant
Sturdy double-door cabinet with magnetic catches and sealed-packaging rules, sited where foot traffic is high.
Built-in usage counter
Every door open is logged, giving real demand data by site, day, and time, with zero burden on the neighbors using the pantry.
Posted donation rules
Shelf-stable food and hygiene items only. Sealed packaging. Visible expiration dates.
Free plans, free advice, no strings
The designs are open source
Anyone can build a Nourish Network pantry in their own community. The plans and materials list are yours to download, free, along with everything we've learned.
Three roles, one simple model
Modeled on Adopt-a-Mile. Tested. Trusted. Easy to scale.
Host
A library, park, or school
- Provides the site
- Names a staff point of contact
- Allows access for stocking
- No financial obligation
Sponsor
An Adopt-a-Pantry partner
- Stocks 1-2x weekly
- Inspects weekly
- Recognition on signage
Operator
The Kitchen of Clay County
- Manages site selection and matching
- Provides build, install, and training
- Carries insurance
- Backstops sponsors who fall behind
For libraries, parks, and schools
Why civic spaces make great hosts
Already trusted
Libraries, schools, and parks are the most-used civic institutions in the county. People know them and feel safe there.
Right next to need
CEP schools are the federal poverty signal at the neighborhood level. Hosting at or beside one puts food where families already are.
Well-lit and safe
All three host types are well-trafficked, professionally maintained, and patrolled. Lower risk than isolated locations.
Off-hours reach
Open 24/7 means evenings, weekends, holidays, and summer break: exactly when family food insecurity peaks.
Reinforces civic mission
Hosting a pantry extends what hosts already do: serve everyone, free of charge, no questions.
Brings the community in
Pantries become a focal point for local food drives, scout troops, PTAs, and faith partners.
Adopt-a-Pantry
Sponsors own a site for a year
Same idea as Adopt-a-Mile. Local businesses, civic clubs, and churches take responsibility for keeping one pantry stocked and cared for.
The commitment: 12 months, renewable
- Stock the pantry 1 to 2 times weekly (shelf-stable food and hygiene items)
- Inspect weekly: clean, remove expired items, photograph
- Your logo on pantry signage and the KCC website
- Recognition at the annual sponsor event
Questions? Reach Jennifer Knight at 904-505-3742 or jenniferjknight@gmail.com.
6-month rollout
First ribbon-cutting within 90 days of host approval
All 4 sites live by month 4. Each launch is a story your facility tells: press, social, and signage built around your host site, with earned media across Clay Today, First Coast News, Action News Jax, WJXT, and the Times-Union.
Month 1
Approvals secured
Library and park MOUs, plus district approval for the school site.
Month 2
Sponsors committed
All 4 sponsors signed; pantries built and staged.
Month 3
Sites 1 & 2 live
Middleburg-Clay Hill and Keystone Heights libraries.
Month 4
Sites 3 & 4 live
Grove Park Elementary and Spring Park complete the pilot.
Month 6
90-day review
First public progress report shared.
We've thought through the risks
Every concern has a posted answer, a process, and a backstop
KCC carries general liability and product-liability coverage on every site, and host facilities are named insured.
Vandalism or theft
Sturdy double-door build, sited where foot traffic is high, inspected weekly. KCC covers replacement parts.
Expired or unsafe food
Posted donation rules, weekly sponsor checks, and a monthly KCC audit.
Sponsor falls behind
60-day service agreement. KCC monitors the logs, stocks the gap, and reassigns the site.
Liability concerns
MOU plus KCC general and product liability coverage. The Florida Good Samaritan Act (768.136) applies.
Encampment or loitering
Sites are chosen for visibility, and a host can request temporary closure or relocation.
The ask
Host one site. We handle the rest.
What your facility provides
- A 4 ft by 3 ft footprint near a well-lit entrance (for schools: outside the secured perimeter, near the parent loop)
- A staff point of contact (about 15 minutes a month)
- 30-day notice to remove it if it doesn't work out
What you do NOT provide
- No funding
- No staff time beyond a host point of contact
- No insurance liability (KCC carries it)
- No food handling or stocking
Verbal commitment in 2 weeks. MOU within 30 days. Ribbon-cutting within 90 days.
Get in touch about Nourish Network
“If I hadn't seen our sign, I don't know if I would have eaten that day.”
A Clay County resident, to The Kitchen of Clay County
Nourish Network puts that sign on every block that needs it. With your facility or sponsorship on board, we start in 30 days.
Jennifer Knight · 904-505-3742 · jenniferjknight@gmail.com