Community Corner

Raid Your Pantry for Holiday Food Drive

More than 60,000 Rhode Islanders rely on food pantries to help meet their basic food needs.

 

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank — the only food bank in the state — aims to collect an additional 350,000 pounds of food between now and Dec. 30 during its annual Holiday Meal Drive.

The food bank, as always, is in serious need of donations. It provides food to 122 member emergency food pantries throughout RI and Southeastern Massachusetts, including the Seekonk Portuguese SDA Church, 781 Newman Ave.

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More than 60,000 Rhode Islanders rely on the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s statewide network of emergency food pantries to help meet their basic food needs. 

“Most of us think of the holidays as a time of plenty, but many people in Rhode Island are struggling to put food on the table,” says Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “We want to be sure that all families have a good holiday meal, but even more importantly, we want to focus on helping families to have nutritious food every day of the month.”

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Between now and Dec. 30, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank will be accepting donations of non-perishable food every weekday between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at its facility at 200 Niantic Ave. in Providence.

Donations of non-perishable food, as well as financial donations, support this goal. Every dollar raised through the Holiday Meal Drive enables the Food Bank to acquire more than three pounds of nutritious food for Rhode Islanders in need, according to a press release issued by the organization.

Most needed items include: peanut butter, canned tuna, canned fruits and vegetables, dried or canned beans, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal, and canned soups, stews or chili.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank will hold a Holiday Meal Drive Open House on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon at its offices at 200 Niantic Ave. in Providence. Individuals, families and groups are invited to bring their donations directly to the Food Bank, take a tour of the facility and enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies. For more information, visit www.rifoodbank.org/HolidayMealDrive.


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