Small Things Philly: Local leader makes big gains fighting hunger with dignity

At the root of Vito Baldini’s work through Small Things Philly lies a simple yet profound quote from Mother Teresa: “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.”

Baldini, who lives in Swarthmore with his wife and two children, now heads one of the largest non-profit organizations addressing food insecurity and poverty in the Philadelphia area.

Early in his life, Baldini struggled with drug addiction and a criminal record.

As he explains it, experiencing people providing him “with small acts of love,” changed his life. Now, guided by personal experience and a commitment to his faith, Baldini dedicates his time to providing others with those same small acts.

Although he acknowledges he can’t control people, their choices, or the ultimate outcome of his support, Baldini believes everyone is worthy of that level of care. Small Things Philly is a manifestation of what Baldini believes everyone should do in life: “to help one another and pass on goodwill.”

Founded in 2020, Small Things Philly grew out of emergency food needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Baldini, an ordained minister, was working with a network of churches in Philadelphia which ran a once-a-year event distributing meals around the city. Baldini took the idea and ran with it, becoming a six-day-aweek food distribution organization that moved 8 million pounds of food during the pandemic.

Since 2020, Small Things has put 23.8 million pounds of food into the hands of people who need it, distributing 50,000 meals each week.

Small Things has expanded under its three-year plan. Led by a network of board members, a team of 20 staff, and over 18,000 volunteers, it has grown to support three direct service markets throughout the city, as well as warehouses to store and distribute food through 50 pantry partners who serve more than 400,000 people in their communities.

Baldini is particularly proud of the three direct markets Small Things has created.

These service centers are intentionally designed to feel like grocery stores where individuals and families can shop for the products they need, but are never presented with a bill.

The line of a food pantry is a “vulnerable spot,” Baldini explains. “We need to honor and respect that, and really think about how we treat people.”

The markets also have a community-building benefit. At the Small Things Fairhill market, Baldini has witnessed firsthand the community supporting one another, exhibiting generosity by not taking the maximum amount of food available, but instead choosing to leave extra for their neighbors.

This is Baldini’s ultimate vision: for communities to run these markets while his Small Things team steps back to act as administrators. He hopes to eventually provide resources for neighborhoods and communities to access “pathways out of poverty.”

This next phase of the Small Things plan, known as the “unHungry project,” has them looking to expand to support 25,000 people with food access, open three additional markets, and eventually provide resources for neighborhoods and communities to access jobs and job training opportunities through their market hubs.

“The goal is to continue to help people, and the next step in doing that is to grow,” Baldini said.

In Baldini’s view, impactful change begins with small but consistent acts of great love and compassion, which is precisely now his call to others. He has his eye on Delaware County as a next market location, and welcomes engagement and partnerships through food donations, volunteering, and charitable contributions.

“Embedding yourself in the lives of those who are suffering is the way to change and grow as a society,” he explains.

More information on Small Things Philly and opportunities to partner with them can be found at https://www.smallthingsphilly.org/.