“I do a lot of baking and we’re not going to parties or anything right now, so this is a way to kind of indulge in the craft but do good at the same time,” said Chris Severance of Watervliet.
“So we decided to start putting food in there,” said Mia Nilo of Watervliet.
Severance and Nilo say when they first saw the installation had free food boxes, they wanted to get involved.
“During this time helping out your neighbors, being a resource for your neighbors has been the most rewarding thing and the thing that you’re really starting to pay attention to and appreciate,” Nilo said.
So a few weeks ago they went into action, baking and delivering different treats and they’re not just for people facing food insecurity.
“Even the distribution boxes will hit all of the nutrition but it leaves out a treat which is the kind of thing that makes life worth living,” Nilo said. “[It’s] the thing people look forward to. So what it doesn’t have any nutritional value? It’s the thing you remember at the end of a meal, so we want to make sure those are in there and available for people, regardless of need.”
On this week’s menu? “Sweet cornbread, knishes; I have a pack of frozen waffles and the applesauce cakes,” Nilo said.
Nilo and Severance package up all the goodies with ingredient labels. Milo said a lot of their friends have food allergies or intolerances, so they’re used to baking carefully.
“I’ve done vegan, I’ve done gluten-free, so it doesn’t intimidate me,” Severance said.
Then it’s time for the money shot. A perfect photo is what Nilo needs to post on social media. She regularly posts about what they’ve made in multiple garage sale groups and other local groups on Facebook.
“You eat with your eyes first,” she said.
Then, it’s time to drop off. The pair pack up Nilo’s truck and head to Freedom Square. While they’re filling the food boxes, a passer-by stops.
“What are you guys doing?” he asked.
“We’re filling the free food box,” Nilo said.
“Is that what this is?” he said.
“Yeah!” Nilo said.
The altar and installation in Freedom Square are sponsored by a number of community groups, but was organized initially by the Sanctuary for Independent Media.
Nancy Weber, an environmental artist, says the weather hindered the launch a few times.
“In November, I first had this vision of a community altar where people could express their grief for this year of unprecedented losses,” Weber said.
“It’s not just about grieving, it’s also about resilience,” said Aileen Javier, of Media Sanctuary.
In the spring, they hope to create a permanent memorial in Freedom Square for the community. Javier says it’s important to have a space to come together as a community when people can’t be together right now.
“Coming here you can say, ‘OK, other people are experiencing the same thing and we will survive together,’ ” Javier said.
“The best thing about these is, I think that the altar is meant to be a space for people to grieve, and I think the free food boxes and the treats inside are a reprieve,” Nilo said.
Nilo and Severance say they usually drop off their goodies each Sunday around 1 p.m., but you can look for their posts with details and drop times in the Troy Garage Sale group on Facebook. Nilo says she hears from people who stop by, and the treats are typically gone by the end of the day on Monday.
The space is open to anyone in the community throughout the week, to stop by and enjoy what’s left in the food boxes, to grieve, to add to the altar and more. There are often free books and art supplies at the installation as well.
For more information about the installation or to find out how you can get involved, visit https://www.mediasanctuary.org/event/memorial-altar.
