Nicole Johnson has always wanted to keep people safe. A resident of the Crestmont neighborhood, she was immediately concerned about her public housing neighbors as resources, finances and personal health equipment dwindled.

Out of her own home, where she and four children live, she founded two initiatives to support her neighbors as well as the larger Bloomington community.

Pigeon Hill Pantry, one of Johnson’s efforts during the pandemic, started in early March to help public housing residents in the Crestmont and Rev. E. D. Butler communities get the items they needed, despite local pantries having record numbers of customers in a period of mass unemployment. Seeing barriers not just to the general food supply but also for her fellow public housing residents, Johnson started collecting orders from residents in the northern public housing neighborhoods, visited pantries to pick up items, boxed supplies and made no-contact deliveries.

Pantry 279 and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard have been her largest sources of support. In preparing orders, Johnson has said she’s been in contact with 24 households between the two neighborhoods — some to place orders, some just to check in. At most, she’s delivered boxes to 12 households at a time. Last week, she was down to four, which she was glad to see.

[To read the rest of this article by Emily Ernsberger, click here.]

[Photo:  Rich Janzaruk / Herald-Times]