Food Pantry

King Philip Regional Middle School Holds Successful Sock and Blanket Drive

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King Philip Regional School District
Paul Zinni, Superintendent
18 King Street
Norfolk, MA 02056

For Immediate Release

Friday, Nov. 1, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

King Philip Regional Middle School Holds Successful Sock and Blanket Drive

NORFOLK — Superintendent Paul Zinni is pleased to report that King Philip Regional Middle School students recently held a successful Sock and Blanket Drive for those in need.

The drive, which concluded on Wednesday, Oct. 30, collected 263 pairs of socks that will be donated to the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and 66 blankets that will be distributed to the homeless population in Boston.

“As the holiday season begins, it’s wonderful to see our students get into the giving spirit by donating these important items to those in need,” King Philip Regional Middle School Principal Michelle Kreuzer said. “This drive brought out the best in our entire school community once again this year.”

The school’s student council ran the drive.

Each homeroom at the school received a box to collect items for a period of two weeks. After the two weeks were over, student council members collected the items and counted them. Any homeroom that participated was placed into a drawing to win an ice cream treat at lunch.

The school has been holding a blanket drive for roughly 15 years, and started collecting socks as part of the drive five years ago. The goal each year is to collect at least 50 blankets and 250 pairs of socks, both of which were exceeded this year.

The student council will remain busy, holding a food drive during the first two weeks of November to benefit local families and food pantries in Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville. They will also be holding a coat drive in early January and a book drive in February.

Student council members hope to do a drive to support a local animal shelter in the near future as well.

“Giving back is important to all of the members of the student council,” the group’s adviser, Whitney Hartwell, said. “Each of these drives shows their commitment to community service, not just during the holidays but throughout the entire year.”

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Groveland Police to Host Annual ‘Stuff a Cruiser’ Food Drive

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Groveland Police Department
Jeffrey Gillen, Chief
Public Safety Building
181 Main St
Groveland, MA 01834

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Groveland Police to Host Annual ‘Stuff a Cruiser’ Food Drive

GROVELAND — Chief Jeffrey Gillen is pleased to announce that the Groveland Police Department is holding its annual “Stuff a Cruiser” food drive this weekend to benefit the Council on Aging and the Sacred Heart Food Pantry.

WHEN:

Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE:

Groveland Police Station, 181 Main St. (in the rear parking lot)

WHAT:

The Groveland Police Department is asking residents and community members to donate canned goods and nonperishable food items to help those in need. This includes canned fruit, canned veggies, soups, baked beans, boxed stuffing mix, boxed potatoes and yams, peanut butter, jelly, jam, dried pasta and pasta sauce. 

Please note, the Groveland Police Department cannot accept perishable items, such as frozen turkeys.

The “Stuff a Cruiser” food drive was first organized in 2016 and is run by Det. Steve Petrone.

“We encourage residents to stop by the station on Saturday and help us collect much-needed food for the Council on Aging and the Sacred Heart Food Pantry,” Chief Gillen said. “It’s because of the hard work of Detective Petrone and the generosity of the community that this drive has been such a success for the past several years.”

 

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Medway Public Schools Expands its Weekend Backpack Program to Include the McGovern School

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Medway Public Schools
Armand Pires, Superintendent
45 Holliston St.
Medway, MA 02053

For Immediate Release

Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Medway Public Schools Expands its In-School Food Pantry and Weekend Backpack Program to Include the McGovern School

MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires is pleased to announce that following a successful pilot program last year, the Medway Public Schools is expanding its in-school food pantry and Weekend Backpack Program to include both elementary schools in town.

The program launched in 2018 with the opening of the Burke-Memorial Elementary School’s in-school food pantry, with about 10 bags a week being put together for students in need. Starting this year the program has expanded at the school, and now also includes the McGovern School.

“The program went really well last year and we’re excited to be expanding it to both elementary schools this year,” said Medway Village Church Food Pantry Director Susan Dietrich. “We recognize the need that exists for some of our younger residents in town and this will help us meet that need.”

All of the food is stored at the Burke-Memorial School. Each Wednesday, around a dozen volunteers gather to prepare the backpacks.

Almost 30 bags of food are packaged per week for McGovern students, and another almost 20 for Burke-Memorial students.

Dietrich or a volunteer brings bags for McGovern students to the school on Thursday evenings, and students at both schools pick up the bags at their school’s respective nurse’s office at the end of the day on Friday. The empty bags are returned on Monday.

There are rolling sign-ups for participation, and any student can enroll during the year. There are no requirements to receive the bags and those who would like to participate should go to the principal’s office at the school.

“The students and their families have been very appreciative of the bags so far and we’re excited the program has gone so well,” McGovern School Principal Amy McDonald said. “It fills a growing need for our school population, and fits perfectly with our strategies for supporting students who may need assistance.”

Dietrich noted that many of the younger people who volunteer to package the bags are current Medway students.

“This program has been a great volunteer opportunity for families,” Dietrich said. “We encourage this kind of participation, as a way for members of the community of all ages to experience hands-on service for their neighbors.”

Donations Needed

The expansion of the program means that more food is needed to stock the shelves.

“Now that we’re doing almost 50 bags a week, we’re always looking for donations from the community,” Dietrich said. “We’re very grateful for the support we’ve received so far.”

The program distributes individual serving sizes of the foods they receive. Donations in bulk/case quantities are most helpful.

“We also aim to provide healthy options,” Principal McDonald said. “The kids are very excited to be receiving such tasty food.”

Suggested donation items include the following:

  • Fruit cups in 100 percent juice – mixed fruit, peaches, etc.
  • Individual cups of microwavable Rice-A-Roni
  • Ready Pasta pouches (Barilla) – rotini, elbows or penne
  • Individual bags of pretzels – 10-pack or larger
  • Individual bags of Goldfish crackers – cases of 30
  • Individual boxes of raisins, packages of six or larger
  • Boxes of instant oatmeal packets, like Quaker reduced-sugar
  • Pirate’s Booty – cases of 36 individual bags
  • Nutri-Grain breakfast bars
  • Nature Valley granola bars
  • Boom Chicka Pop popcorn, sea salt flavor – cases of 24 individual bags

Residents are also able to donate to the backpack program by purchasing select items at the check-out line at the Shaw’s supermarket in town.

The Weekend Backpack Program is an extension of the Medway Village Food Pantry, a private, non-profit group. The Medway Village Food Pantry is a member agency of the Greater Boston Food Bank.

As a member agency, the Medway Village Food Pantry is able to order food in bulk at a reduced cost. Dietrich said she is able to provide shelf-stable milk, juice boxes and applesauce for the backpacks from the GBFB, and these items are not needed through community donations.

Medway’s Burke-Memorial Elementary School Officially Opens In-School Food Pantry

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Medway Public Schools
Armand Pires, Superintendent
45 Holliston St.
Medway, MA 02053

 

For Immediate Release

Friday, April 5, 2019

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Medway’s Burke-Memorial Elementary School Officially Opens In-School Food Pantry

MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires is pleased to announce that a ribbon cutting ceremony was held today to officially open the Burke-Memorial Elementary School’s new in-school food pantry for students in need.

“Now that the pantry is open, we hope we can begin to offer assistance to some of our students in need and provide them with food to bring home over the weekend,” Superintendent Pires said. “We are thrilled to be working alongside the folks at the Medway Village Church Food Pantry and will be relying on their expertise as we move forward.”

Superintendent Pires, Burke-Memorial Principal Amanda Luizzi, Medway Public Schools Wellness Director Ryan Sherman and Medway Village Church Food Pantry Director Susan Dietrich gathered at the pantry Friday morning to launch the new program.

The pantry will be staffed by parents, students and community volunteers working alongside volunteers from the Medway Village Church Food Pantry.

This past summer, Medway Public Schools officials partnered with representatives of the YMCA and the Medway Village Church Food Pantry to create a program that would supply students in need with food for the weekend.

In January, Stop and Shop awarded Medway Public Schools a $1,600 grant to help build shelves, purchase backpacks and buy food for the new program.

The optional program will start by serving a group of about 15 students. Those students will be among 50 to 70 children who are eligible for free and reduced lunches at the school.

Each week, volunteer staff will put backpacks full of food together for the select students who will benefit the most from the program. Those students will go to the pantry before the end of the school day on Friday and will receive backpacks filled with simple foods that students can eat on their own, like granola bars and apple sauce, as well as meals they can prepare with an adult, like a pasta dinner.

Those interested in volunteering can email Ryan Sherman at [email protected].

Those interested in donating food items to support the new program can do so by leaving bags marked “Food Pantry” at the church office of Medway Village Church at 170 Village St.

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