West Park Neighbors Step Up: How a Community Came Together During the Government Shutdown
When the federal government shutdown rippled through households across Cleveland, many West Park neighbors refused to stand by and watch their community struggle. Instead, they opened their yards, their pantries, their wallets, and their hearts. From front-lawn breakfasts to free food pantries to local businesses offering support for both families and their pets, residents found creative, compassionate ways to fill the gaps left by stalled assistance programs like SNAP and HEAP.
This article highlights just a few of the many neighbors who transformed worry into action, proving that in West Park, community isn’t just a word. It’s something people live out, every day, for one another.
Alyssa & Justin Falkenstein
Alyssa and Justin Falkenstein are West Park neighbors who recently hosted a community breakfast on their front lawn.
Alyssa Falkenstein is a homeschool mom and writer, and she has always had a heart for the community. Alyssa regularly hosts a Bible study and breakfast on Sunday mornings with friends and family.
She and her husband have both been recipients of SNAP benefits before, and she recognized the need for these programs and the fear that the government shutdown must have set in people.
This is when they decided to host a community breakfast, thinking about the teachings of the Bible. Alyssa said, “I know that my Jesus wants the hungry fed.” No matter one’s story, income, or beliefs, she just wanted her neighbors to come together, eat, and appreciate community. So, on the morning of November 2nd, she and her husband Justin hosted a free community breakfast. Alyssa told me she saw someone say recently, "everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager." She felt like it was a day where they felt like a true village and were connected with everyone around them.
The response was incredible. They received many donations and were even added to a friend’s Sam’s Club account so she could take advantage of their bulk items. They had neighbors come who they had never met before; they just wanted to help. Alyssa stressed that they weren't strangers anymore; they are the true definition of a neighbor.
She felt that “people want to help, but sometimes we feel powerless and don't know where to start. When given the opportunity, people will come through, and it's restored some of my hope in humanity.”
Alyssa and Justin have begun a new Facebook page, FeedCLE, with the goal of promoting future free meals and sourcing donations to host them."
Megan Denman
Megan grew up in Lakewood and has always lived in the Cleveland area. She’s a freelance pianist and instructor. She has lived in West Park for two years now; she says it fits her well, and her neighbors are wonderful.
During the government shutdown, Megan found an old inherited cabinet, painted it with leftover deck paint, and placed it in her front yard. She filled it with nonperishable goods and began her own free little pantry.
She was inspired by seeing other neighbors doing the same in their front yards. When SNAP was threatened, that was enough of a push for her to take action. She’s had the privilege of never worrying about where her next meal would come from, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t recognize the pain of losing food assistance that keeps so many hardworking families afloat.
Her pantry sits on a dead-end street, so she worried people wouldn’t find it. But thanks to the power of social media, they did. Megan shared her pantry on Facebook groups like Buy Nothing West Park.
One moment that stuck out to Megan was when she received a message from a mom asking for the specific address and expressing gratitude for helping her family with meals. She was ecstatic to know her pantry truly made a difference in people’s lives.
She also recognizes that larger organizations, such as the Cleveland Food Bank, have the efficiency to do the most good for the most people. She has volunteered with them for years and donates to their cause, knowing they can stretch a dollar and provide nutrition in wondrous ways!
Pam Alerine/Style Mutt
Pam Alerine is has been a resident of West Park for 12 years. She owns Style Mutt, a dog boutique, daycare center, and grooming salon on Warren Road. Pam has been a generous supporter of all things West Park dogs, providing snacks for pups on our community dog walks, and contributing big prizes to our annual dog costume contest at Kamm’s Corners Farmers Market.
Pam recognized the loss of SNAP during government shutdown would not only hurt hungry families, but their pets as well. She wanted to be able to help in any way she could, so she began offering free dog food and treats to those on SNAP. She stressed that no one should have to make a choice between feeding themselves or their dog.
When Pam posted about this on social media, she began getting calls from other neighbors offering financial assistance to support Pam’s giveaway. Pam said until the need was greater than she could give, she was happy to cover it.
What Pam was surprised by was that a majority of those coming in to get food were senior citizens. Pam being a senior herself, she felt very humbled to be able to care for her own generation.
Moreover, everyone who visited was filled with gratitude, one person even offering to work to pay for the food. Pam stressed that there was no shame in taking up her offer for help, she was just happy to provide what she could.
Megan Pecek
Megan Pecek has been a resident of West Park since 2012. A wife and mother of three, she has built a community and family here through neighbors, schools, and service. During the day, Megan is a Clinical Psychologist at the VA and has a private practice offering assessments and education about neurodiversity, specifically ADHD and Autism Spectrum. She hopes to build this practice into a brick-and-mortar space within the neighborhood that provides affirmative care, education, acceptance, and intervention.
Megan is putting together YES, WE KAMM, a food and goods drive for those in need in our neighborhood.
With the impact of SNAP and HEAP being cut, she was deeply concerned about how others would be affected. As the government shutdown unfolded, she witnessed its negative impact on individuals and families. What began as simply going through her pantry and offering a judgment-free pickup of items for families at her children’s school quickly grew. After her initial post, many school community members offered to donate and encouraged her to begin a donation drive. Soon, six bins were filled with food, gift cards, and essential items. She expanded the offer to the broader community, and within minutes, 35 people reached out. Many neighbors and local businesses also stepped forward to donate and help.
Families were invited to “shop” from the bins outside her home, and she delivered items to those without transportation. Megan said the most meaningful part has been the courage others have shown in reaching out to ask for help and to share their needs. Working in a helping profession, she knows how much bravery it takes to work through difficult thoughts and emotions in order to ask for and accept support. For every person who has accepted help, at least one person has donated to support the effort.
She would like to highlight a few who reached out with exceptional generosity: Peter Jung of West Park, who owns a small courier company and offered to deliver items; Savor the Moment Coffee Shop, which reached out to place a donation box; St. Mark School, which provided donations and shared information with families; the owner of PJ McIntyre’s, who listened compassionately and offered to engage others; and Jason at West Park Station, who took time to understand the effort and offered volunteers a space accessible by public transportation for the community.
In a world that can feel divided, being part of a community coming together with compassion and generosity lifted some of the helplessness she had felt in recent months.