Community Corner
Tewksbury Community Pantry Gets $10K Impact Grant From Giving Circle
100+ People Who Care Tewksbury awards $10K or more to 1 local nonprofit each quarter. The pantry was chosen at Monday's Giving Event.
TEWKSBURY, MA —Tewksbury Community Pantry was selected for the $10,000 Impact Award Monday by 100+ People Who Care Tewksbury, a members-only community giving circle.
The award was handed out at 100+ People's first quarterly Giving Event of 2023 at Luna Rossa.
Three nonprofits were chosen to make presentations at the event, and 100+ People's members then voted for Tewksbury Community Pantry as the evening's big winner.
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Established in 1995, Tewksbury Community Pantry provides confidential short-term and long-term food assistance to Tewksbury residents in financial need.
The pantry holds three food distribution dates monthly and serves more than 200 seniors, adults and children from Tewksbury.
Find out what's happening in Tewksburyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Bill Welch, president and director of Tewksbury Community Pantry, explained during his Monday presentation that the $10,000 grant was necessary to offset the increased cost of food. Additionally, the government's pandemic-era emergency SNAP program ended March 1, making the purchase of food more difficult for people who depended on the program.
Welch also said the food pantry's biggest annual fundraiser, a golf tournament at the Tewksbury Country Club, is unlikely to take place this year. So, the Impact Grant will help fill the financial void left by the tournament's absence.
"The funds will help us continue to provide the level of support that our current clients need, help us address the increased needs that they now have, and help us support the new clients who come on to our resources throughout the year," Welch said.
The other two nonprofit presenters on Monday were The Tewksbury Memorial High School Theater Company and the Chelmsford-based Newhouse Wildlife Rescue.
According to 100+ People, each of those organizations received a number of individual donations in addition to $250 apiece provided by the evening's sponsors ECO Auto of Tewksbury and Dance Expressions.
A video of Monday's quarterly Giving Event is available on the Tewksbury TV YouTube channel.
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