'It Takes A Village': Re-stocking The Westborough Food Pantry

WESTBOROUGH, MA—It's not just about being hungry. Today, being hungry is often called "food insecurity" and that means not knowing where your next meal is coming from or if there will be enough for the whole family.

The Westborough Food Pantry currently serves roughly 125 families in town. And this time of the year, as the holidays nip at our heels, the food supply runs low and needs a major restock, according to Donna Kittredge, co-president of the pantry.

The annual Boy, Girl and Cub Scout driveduring the first weekend in November helps the pantry greatly in fulfilling this need.

"The effort they put in is amazing, not only going door to door but delivering the items to the pantry," said Kittredge, "unloading the cars, sorting like items into boxes, weighing each box and carrying the filled boxes to our storage room. Their efforts saves the pantry money and volunteers from having to shop."

Donations increase around Thanksgiving and Christmas time, and Kittredge said it helps greatly and urges others in the area to join in the push to re-stock the town's food pantry. The donations help through the winter and into late spring.

The pantry is in need of personal products such as razors, shaving cream, deodorant, women's sanitary items, toothbrushes and toothpaste. As for food items, Kittredge said that Ramen noodles, canned pasta, canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, peanut butter, tuna, canned pineapple, tomato soup, beef stew, mac and cheese, as well as instant oatmeal, are particularly in demand.

Money, too, is more than welcomed. Donations can be dropped off to the pantry at the Forbes Community Building when it is open on Tuesdays, 9-11 a.m., Thursdays, 9-11:30, or Thursdays 6:30-8 p.m. Checks can be made out to the Westborough Food Pantry and mailed to P.O. Box 502, Westborough, MA 01581.

Items can be dropped off at the fire station on Milk Street, Stop and Shop on Lyman Street or Roche Brothers.

"We are so fortunate and cannot thank the Boy Scouts enough," said Kittredge, "their leaders and parents for all they do for us each year, all the town's people for caring, and town organizations that reach out to us and donate so freely. As they say, 'it takes a village,' and we are so lucky to be in such a community that is so willing to reach out and help those less fortunate residing in our town."

Photo Credit: Charlene Arsenault