Apple Valley mom takes care of her community with free food pantry
Merissa Summers is one Apple Valley resident who is taking self-reliance to the next level.
She has vowed to never again worry about where her family's or her community's next meal will come from after having lived through the uncertainty of the government shutdown and the pause in Cal Fresh benefits in November.
During the 43 days of the shutdown, Summers's social media pages were flooded with worried community threads and High Desert mothers seeking advice on how to feed their families and which food banks were open and stocked.
Her distraught community was enough to propel Summers, 36, to take matters into her own hands with Merissa's Table, a free food pantry that operates from her front porch.
What started as a plan B resort has since grown into a necessity for some Apple Valley families. Summers's pantry, which she started fully stocking in November 2025, is emptied almost every day.
Summers is a full-time caretaker for her mother, who suffered a stroke a few years ago. With the help of her children, aged 7 and 11, she says she restocks the pantry every three to five hours.
A donated mini fridge sets Merissa's Table apart from other food pantries. In it, hungry neighbors will find milk, cheese, meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, and every once in a while, donated items from favorite local restaurants like the recent Jimmy John's sandwich drop-off.
"It has grown so much faster than I ever thought it would," Summers told the Daily Press, grateful for the community support she receives. At the beginning, she stocked the goods out of her own pocket. Due to her rise in popularity on social media, however, almost everything is donated now. Summers even has an Amazon Wishlist so neighbors can donate remotely.
Merissa Summers operates a free food pantry from her porch in Apple Valley. Donations help keep the pantry fully stocked.
Take only what you need
A few days ago, someone cleared out the entire pantry. Summers was shocked to see she was wiped clean, and heartbroken to turn away three families who arrived shortly after, hoping to stock up for that evening's dinner. Summers said she gave them items from her home kitchen and rewrote the rules that day: "Only take what you need!"
With 16.6% of San Bernardino households receiving SNAP benefits, 61% of which are children under 18, there is certainly a need for Merissa's Table in the High Desert, and Summers does not turn anyone away.
However, if one person takes everything from the pantry at once, other families in need may not be able to feed their children that night.
Merissa Summers operates a free food pantry from her porch in Apple Valley. Donations help keep the pantry fully stocked.
The community "stepped up" after that incident. Summers received the most food and monetary donations she had ever received, and the pantry stayed supplied for days.
"I put my faith in my community," Summers told the Daily Press, "and they always deliver."
Cameras and big dogs ensure the safety of the Summers family while they do the Lord's work, but Summers says she has been pleasantly surprised at the praise and positive feedback she has received thus far. She doesn't see herself stopping anytime soon.
Those interested in donating can visit Summers's Amazon.com Wishlist, donate funds to cash.app or venmo.com or drop off items in person from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, located at 13744 Choco Road, Apple Valley.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at [email protected].
