By Beth David, Editor
The Shepherd’s Pantry in Acushnet received 3,860 pounds of food from Fairhaven households on Saturday, 5/10/25. The annual food drive by the National Association of Letter Carriers, collects food that postal service customers leave by the mailboxes. The food is picked up by the letter carriers for distribution to a local shelter.
The national food drive started more than 30 years ago. It us the nation’s largest one-day food drive.
Although the amount is down from last year’s 4,680 pounds, and 2023’s 5,340 total, the pantry just grateful to have it.
“It’s more than we started out with,” said pantry director, Gerry Payette.
“Every can counts,” said volunteer Sarah Ryle.
Fairhaven food is taken to the postal annex on Pequod Road by the letter carriers, and then driven by truck to the pantry. After it is unloaded, volunteers will check each item for expiration dates, sorted, and bagged.
The Shepherd’s Pantry distributes food on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m., 1215 Main Street, Acushnet, at the Long Plain United Methodist Church.
It is staffed completely by volunteers. If you would like to donate your time as a volunteer, you can call the pantry at 508-763-9289. If you would like to donate funds, send to P.O. 760, Fairhaven, MA 02719. There is a bin at the Millicent Library (Walnut Street entrance) and at Stop & Shop in Fairhaven, to drop off food.
Learn more about the NALC food drive at https://www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive.
To learn more about the Shepherd’s Pantry, find them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TheShepherdsPantryAcushnetMA
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- Letter Carrier, Tom Mendonca, pauses for a quick photo opp as he unloads food collected in Fairhaven during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David.
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- L-R: Damon Howard, Don Ryle, Sarah Ryle, Paul Robert, Ed Bouchard, and Gerry Payette pose for the local free sheet after stacking 3,860 pounds of food at the Shepherd’s Pantry that was collected during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David..
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- Shepherd’s Pantry volunteer, Sarah Ryle, guides a box down the makeshift chute at the Shepherd’s Pantry after letter carriers collected 3,860 pounds of food in Fairhaven during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David.
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- Shepherd’s Pantry volunteer, Paul Robert, guides a box down the makeshift chute at the Shepherd’s Pantry after letter carriers collected 3,860 pounds of food in Fairhaven during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David.
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- Shepherd’s Pantry volunteer, Ed Bouchard, guides a box down the makeshift chute at the Shepherd’s Pantry after letter carriers collected 3,860 pounds of food in Fairhaven during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David.
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- Shepherd’s Pantry volunteer, Don Ryle, guides a box down the makeshift chute at the Shepherd’s Pantry after letter carriers collected 3,860 pounds of food in Fairhaven during the National Association of Letter Carriers food drive on 5/10/25. Photo by Beth David.
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