March 19, 2024

Seekonk Community Supports Doorways Food Pantry

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The Covid-19 outbreak has created a unique set of pressures for some of the most vulnerable in our community; the need to minimize social exposure has made trips to the grocery store fraught with peril, while food shortages and economic stress have made food uncertainty a growing problem for our neighbors. The statewide crisis has strained the resources of the Boston Food Bank, and caused them to limit the amount of food we can order from them at any one time. In response, Doorways has been forced to purchase large quantities of product at retail, and to supplement bi-weekly food distributions to clients with gift cards to Stop & Shop. Yet in our hour of need, the residents of the town of Seekonk have responded magnificently to provide us with the resources to continue our work.

Caroline Turenne and Christina Chen, juniors at Seekonk High School, organized a food drive to provide thousands of pounds of food for Doorways. This was especially key since the annual Postal Carriers food drive was forced to be cancelled earlier this spring. We thank Caroline and Christina, and all those who contributed to the food drive.

But it goes further. One local family has volunteered every week to prepack several bags of food and paper goods for the over sixty client families served by the Doorways food pantry. Another team of volunteers unloads our truck after a pickup at the Boston Food Bank, then unpacks several dozen of boxes of foodstuffs and puts it all way. Several members of the Seekonk Congregational Church have delivered food to homebound clients, while Boy Scout Troop 1 has sent scout volunteers each week to help load the pre-packed groceries into the clients’ vehicles. Many longtime donors have sent an extra check to help the cause, while many first-time donors are adding their contribution to make sure the food keeps flowing. Local churches, civic organizations, businesses and individuals all are chipping in to take care of our own. We thank you all; we are humbled by your generous support. More than sixty local families rely on Doorways on a regular basis, and Doorways, in turn, relies on people like you.

The Board of Directors, the volunteers, and especially the clients of Doorways food pantry would like to salute all of our supporters and benefactors in the Town of Seekonk. May God keep us all safe until the day when we can reach out and shake each of your hands in gratitude.

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