Dozens lined up August 6 for free groceries at the Philando's Pantry food distribution event in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, highlighting the growing food insecurity in the community.
Constance McIntyre of Brooklyn Park, a working mother of two, said the past year has been a struggle to make ends meet. "This helps me support my children," she said. "It's definitely a blessing." Participants received bags filled with cereal, bread, rice, canned goods, and other staples.
Pointing to a bin of laundry detergent, McIntyre added, "That Downy over there is probably $28 in the store, and I can't afford that right now." She also attended last month's food drop.
Cynthia Gray, 66, of Brooklyn Center, waited for her groceries while seated on her walker. Since losing her fiancé two years ago, she said keeping up with bills has been difficult.
"It's hard, every day is a struggle. This pantry is a blessing," Gray said.
The pantry served more than 250 families in its first distribution, providing 28 tons of food. This week, organizers handed out 20 tons.
"This is helping me and my three kids," said a Minneapolis mother who attended. "Even with a job, you still can't always fill the gaps."
The event was supported by multiple organizations, including the Minneapolis NAACP, Philando Castile Relief Foundation, The Watch Foundation, Jabez Customized Living Services, and Our Daily Bread of Las Vegas.
Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollis Winston praised the collaboration. "To reach out to Brooklyn Park and provide assistance to their brothers and sisters in the city is what we need more of as a community and society," he said.
Minneapolis NAACP Vice President Thomas Berry said the pantry honors the legacy of Philando Castile, a school cafeteria supervisor fatally shot by police in 2016, who was known for helping students who couldn't afford meals.
"This is about filling the gap, meeting people where they're at," Berry said. "People are out here struggling."
Berry says the initiative focuses on giving back and empowering the Black community from within. "With Philando's Pantry, we take pride in feeding our own people while also helping other communities," he said.
The food distribution also came on the heels of the annual Central Honors Philando Castile event in St. Paul, which brings together hundreds each summer to celebrate Castile's life and legacy through music, art, and community programming.
While the festival serves as a powerful reminder of the joy and humanity Castile embodied, the pantry reflects another side of his legacy: his quiet, everyday generosity. Together, the events show how his memory continues to inspire both commemoration and concrete acts of care.
Organizers now hope to secure a permanent location for the pantry, possibly the former CVS building at 7996 Brooklyn Blvd. in Brooklyn Park. "We want a full-time pantry to assist families facing food insecurity, but we'd also like to offer mental health support, classes, and workshops, from yoga and gardening to financial literacy," Berry said.
Reflecting on both the pantry and the annual Central Honors Philando Castile celebration, Berry added: "Central Honors uplifts the spirit, while the pantry meets the need. Together they carry Philando's legacy forward in ways that both celebrate who he was and serve the community he cared about."