20-Foot Snowmen in Montclair Helping Raise Funds for Food Pantry
The goal? To collect money for Toni’s Kitchen Food Pantry, which has helped families facing hunger since 1982.
Neighbors along Warren Place in Montclair, New Jersey, have erected giant inflatable snowmen — each standing 20 feet tall — across their front lawns. The goal? To collect money for Toni's Kitchen Food Pantry, which has helped families facing hunger since 1982. QR code signs went up this week, allowing anyone who passes by to donate immediately.
It began two years back. Ann McCarthy, a resident, wanted to brighten her mood during winter. She contacted someone down the street about purchasing the massive inflatables. What started as a plan between a few friends quickly spread until the whole block joined in.
"I had no idea that when I started it that it was going to become a snowman spectacle," McCarthy said, according to ABC7NY.
This marks the first year the snowman exhibition has been linked to raising funds. When neighbors regrouped to continue their annual tradition on this Essex County street, they decided to add a charitable purpose.
"We're raising money for Toni's Kitchen, which is a really important facility for people with food insecurity," McCarthy said.
Toni's Kitchen operates at St. Luke's Church, situated just down the street and around the corner from where the snowmen stand. Ann Mernin, who works at the pantry, explained that many who rely on their services hold down jobs — sometimes more than one — but still can't afford enough food.
"A lot of people who are using our pantry are people who are working full-time, working multiple jobs and just can't quite make ends meet," Mernin said.
Posted throughout the yards, QR codes allow people to scan with their phones and contribute without stepping out. McCarthy noted how this makes giving simple for anyone who stops by.
"So people can just point their phones at the QR code and make a donation right on the spot," McCarthy said.
Crowds arrive throughout the day. At night, the inflatables glow. Mernin applauded how the neighborhood tradition now supports the pantry's mission.
"This idea of connecting with such a wonderful part of our community and having it be a fundraiser is fantastic," Mernin said.
