“Thank you” from the pantry director
Gerry Payette, Shepherd’s Pantry Director
This letter of thanks goes out to the folks in the surrounding communities that include New Bedford, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Rochester and Wareham, who donated non-perishable food towards the 27th annual “Stamp out Hunger” food drive for the needy.
On Saturday May 11th, 2019, letter carriers and volunteer helpers from our area, picked up donated food along their routes that totaled over 25,550 pounds. In Fairhaven alone, 4,160 pounds were collected. This food was left around mailboxes and on porches to help fill the shelves at the Shepherd’s Pantry in Acushnet, the Damien Place Pantry in Wareham, M.O. L.I.F.E Food pantry, the Immigrant Assistance Center, the Salvation Army, PACE, the Red Cross and the Catholic Social Services, all located in New Bedford.
Nationally, all 50 States and U.S. jurisdictions participated in this annual food drive to help the less fortunate. Last year, over 7.1 million pounds were collected throughout the U.S.
A very special thank-you, once again, goes to the very dedicated volunteers who helped out the letter carriers on that day. Also, a BIG thank you to The Standard-Times, The Fairhaven Neighborhood News and The Advocate Newspapers. Also another BIG thank you to Skip’s Marine for the use of their truck used by the Shepherd’s Pantry to transport their donated food. Also, a big thank you to P.J. Keating, located in Acushnet, for the use of their vehicle scale to weigh the trucks that carried the food to their respective pantries after the food drive.
Please remember that every year, the second Saturday in May will be designated for this very important food drive to help the needy. Every and all donations are appreciated and needed to make this yearly food drive the biggest one-day food drive in the nation. Also, the many dedicated volunteers who help out each week to make all area pantries run smoothly, is a testimony of their kind hearts. I, for one, will never take them for granted.
And finally, the Millicent Library and Stop & Shop Supermarket, both located in Fairhaven, will continue to accept non-perishable food donations all year long that will eventually find their way to the Shepherd’s Pantry located at the Long Plain United Methodist Church, 1215 Main Street, Acushnet.
Any questions please call the Shepherd’s Pantry at 508-763-9289.
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