# We're only a week or two from starting up, and we're eager to start helping our community!

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmfS7QeR1quwFNXJG3RcwccRUYSWv4rVYC86tXVzx8bEn8/image.png) ^{[Source](https://www.denverpost.com/2013/04/29/tiny-libraries-in-front-yards-across-colorado-inspire-love-of-books/)}

We've been brainstorming the best ways of contributing to the community, while staying within our very tight budget. One of the ideas that came up was to create a ["little free library"](https://littlefreelibrary.org/). At @thesteemhouse, we're all about taking things to the next level, so we're also going to create a ["little free pantry"](http://www.littlefreepantry.org/)! A little free library is a public box where people can find and share books!

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmccmtdq6XVq2GtE9wofnPqtNMFweTkKRSiAmSmDqadkqn/image.png) ^{[Source](http://www.littlefreepantry.org/)}

People in the community are encouraged to take any book they see, and leave a book they have already read. The same concept applies to a little free pantry. People can come and find bare essentials like non perishable food, things like toilet paper or shampoo, and anything else other members of the community have donated! This is a project that would have a long-lasting affect, but could be up and running within a week, *tops!* This is a great and affordable way to give something of worth to the local community, while also getting people involved with anonymously giving to their neighbors! We have a few locally owned suppliers who may *donate* the materials needed to build the boxes, and we'll be talking to them about being one our first local business partners! ![steemflourish.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQpQkbUm536y1mFLinAQUnGN9KFRrZ4zKmP7y4YRXsZT7/steemflourish.png) #### Our little free library & pantry will encourage charity, literacy, and education!

![help-2655258_1280.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmUhdJBmZtn6Ri6jGudrfkp7qNub4ku3ncGkMvxHaGUe4i/help-2655258_1280.png) ^{[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/help-hand-isolated-charity-sticker-2655258/)}

All over this great country, there are families who lack a healthy meal, and many who lack a meal at all. We hope to prevent Frankfort from being one of those places. When the little free pantry is built and erected, we will start a permanent charity drive where people can exchange goods for credit toward membership, workshop tickets, and more. We will also do our best to scoop up old books for free or cheap to keep the little free library stuffed to the brim with knowledge and entertainment! Obviously, this is the **perfect** sort of thing for an SMT, and believe me, we're on it! The possibilities of SMTs will be abundant, and we will jump on the opportunity to bring value and growth to STEEM as a currency through our local actions. ![steemflourish.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQpQkbUm536y1mFLinAQUnGN9KFRrZ4zKmP7y4YRXsZT7/steemflourish.png) ### We can't wait to sign papers on our new space so we can get to work! We should be signing a lease next week, and will be able to get started making awesome things for the community we live in, and the community that is making all this possible! Big things are coming for @thesteemhouse, and we hope you're around to see it! We will be hosting contests and giveaways in the coming weeks as a way to spread the word about our grand opening, which if everything goes according to plan, should occur in mid-April. ![steemflourish.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQpQkbUm536y1mFLinAQUnGN9KFRrZ4zKmP7y4YRXsZT7/steemflourish.png) ### In two weeks, [we've raised 60% of our startup](https://steemit.com/business/@thesteemhouse/we-ve-raised-over-usd2000-usd-for-the-startup-of-a-real-world-steem-business-invest-today-and-receive-dividends-for-life), and it's all come from regular steemians like *you*! We haven't had any whales or funding groups get involved yet, but we've already collected over 1200 STEEM toward the opening of our real-world business! We currently have enough funds to secure the location for the first few months, and to get some basic computers, tools, and a 3d printer. The other 40% of our fund will be getting together extra tools and machines to make our space more versatile. How have we been this successful with our crowdfund? We're selling a **lifetime** cut of all the liquid SBD generated by this account, 10% in total. You can invest as little as 10 STEEM, and you will start receiving weekly dividends the week after our funding goal is met! Read our [latest post about the investment process](https://steemit.com/business/@thesteemhouse/we-ve-raised-over-usd2000-usd-for-the-startup-of-a-real-world-steem-business-invest-today-and-receive-dividends-for-life) for all the details! ![steemflourish.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQpQkbUm536y1mFLinAQUnGN9KFRrZ4zKmP7y4YRXsZT7/steemflourish.png) ### Do you have a little free library in your town? Tell us about it in the comments! Send us a picture! We still haven't decided on what we want ours to look like, so we're very open to inspiration. There are so many really cool builds, and we want to create something really amazing! ### Thanks for reading! [![followbanner.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmNq9qbQR329DYD7tmj52hxDJJae97iNMPoCQ3217GxwKH/followbanner.jpg)](https://steemit.com/@thesteemhouse)