Lori Falce: Charity begins at home. It cannot end there

Charity begins at home.

It’s a familiar saying many people erroneously believe comes from the Bible instead of from 17th-century British writer Sir Thomas Browne.

But what does Browne’s famous proverb mean? Like beauty, the phrase may be in the eye of the beholder.

For some, it’s an encouragement to help those closest to you first. Why give to others when you can help your own?

But as often happens, Browne’s statement is only a snippet of the whole. Charity may begin at home, but he continued, saying it “is the voice of the world.”

That leads to another interpretation: perhaps home is where we learn the importance of charity — the responsibility to offer aid to others.

In the midst of a maelstrom of inflation, government shutdowns, slashed SNAP funding and overstressed food banks, there are people who are creating charity at home — literally.

Food pantries are offered by many churches and nonprofits. They are smaller than organized food banks, although they often work in concert with them. They offer help where and when they can to those in need.

Since 2016, little free pantries have popped up in front yards and neighborhood spots to do the same on an even more personal level. From big cities to small towns to rural areas, they are everywhere. And in recent weeks, they have filled a critical role for those short on food as other lifelines are cut.

In Whitehall, A.J. Owen has a series of black bins with yellow lids, filled with food for anyone who needs it. In Tarentum, Donna Baxter has tables set up with cereal, canned goods, macaroni and cheese and more.

Owen’s pantry went viral after a Facebook post prompted an anonymous donor to leave a generous gift. He shared his gratitude on TikTok, and 16 million people took notice — more if you count those who saw him on “Good Morning America.”

Hungry children, hungry seniors and the hungry working poor who survive this crisis of need will do so because of the Owens and Baxters — and those anonymous donors of the world. They are doing what is right.

But every story of generosity is also a story of tragedy. These people are stepping up because our government is falling down on its obligations.

The little free pantries and other small options were never meant to bear this weight. They are the spare tire to get you to the next gas station.

Yes, charity begins at home. But it can’t end there.

We cannot rely simply on the random giving of neighbors to replace the failures of our leaders. Fill the boxes. Give what you can. Model that behavior for your neighbors and your children.

But we must also demand that our government doesn’t leave the heavy lifting on our front porches.