San Diego

Health Care Worker Creates Alley Food Pantry to Help Community

A local health care worker is really making a difference both on the job and at home for her neighbors

NBCUniversal, Inc.

It's been uplifting to see many people throughout San Diego County stepping up to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that outpour of support for one's community continues to grow in San Diego, where one health care worker started a pantry to help her community near La Mesa.

Lisa Spano works at Scripps Mercy Hospital in the emergency room department, and she's also six months pregnant. She's been incredibly busy these last few months with work, but she still wanted to find a way to help her neighbors, as well.

She, along with her husband, designed an alley pantry and it's proven to be a great thing for her community.

Spano got the idea from the Little Free Library stands people set up outside their homes, where you can take a book or leave a book. She followed that same concept, but with food.

In addition to offering food, Spano's pantry also has clothes and toiletries. Everything is donated and itโ€™s neighbors who are now keeping this going with donations.

"Basically, the idea is that the community supports the community and actually, my ultimate hope is that this inspires other people to do the same thing," she told NBC 7. "Set up their own little unique situation based on what they have access to,."

The alley pantry is located right off of El Cajon Boulevard and 68th Street, in the alley behind Mohawk Street -- in between La Mesa and San Diego.

Spano also made a Facebook page for alley pantries all across the area. Click here for more information.

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