WESTLAND, Mich. – An 8-year-old boy’s concern for families without food turned into a major donation for a Westland community pantry just as its shelves were running low.
Wyatt Storch and his mother, Amanda Madden, organized a food drive after a bedtime conversation in which Wyatt said he felt sad for people who didn’t have enough to eat, Madden said.
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The effort included a grilled cheese-and-tomato-soup fundraiser that raised nearly $1,700, Storch said.
With the money, Wyatt and his mother bought canned goods, boxed food, household supplies, and other necessities and delivered them by U-Haul to Elmwood Blessing Box, a pantry started by Elizabeth Freeman.
Freeman said the idea began in 2023, when she wanted to help neighbors facing food insecurity.
“I told my mom, and I told my husband I just want to put a box in our front yard so our neighbors don’t have to worry about food, and from there it kind of grew and blossomed,” Freeman said.
The pantry grew so quickly that it outgrew Freeman’s front lawn in Garden City and moved into a building in Westland in July 2025.
“When they come back into the pantry, it’s a shopper’s choice,” Freeman said, describing the setup that allows people to select items like a grocery store.
Freeman said the pantry often serves 100 to 120 families a day, drawing people from Wayne, Washtenaw, and Oakland counties.
Much of the pantry’s inventory comes from community members through an Amazon wish list, along with grocery drop-offs and support from some local businesses, Freeman said.
The donation marked the second time Wyatt has helped restock the pantry. He said he plans to keep helping.
“I like it. I like helping people,” Wyatt said.
Madden said she and her son did not expect the effort to grow so quickly.
“I don’t think we realized how big of an impact this would be,” Madden said.
Freeman, who said she relied on food pantries as a teen mother, said the donation will help families and reinforce the pantry’s commitment to a welcoming environment.
“It was hard, you felt judged, you felt like you shouldn’t be there, and we pride ourselves on making sure everyone who walks in feels welcomed,” Freeman said.
Elmwood Blessing Box is located at 27543 Joy Road, Westland, Michigan. Hours are:
- Mon: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Tue: Closed
- Wed: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Thu: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Fri: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Sat: 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
- Sun: noon–5 p.m.
Click here for more information.
If you’re interested in donating, Freeman said the pantry prefers food donations over cash.