Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Food Bank Event topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Greater Boston Food Bank marks 20th Chain of Giving, mobilizes volunteers and donors
Summary
At its 20th Chain of Giving, the Greater Boston Food Bank announced large holiday distributions, thanked supermarkets and suppliers for donations, and called on volunteers to form a human chain to unload holiday food. Leaders highlighted year-round food insecurity and credited a network of corporate, philanthropic and government partners.
The Greater Boston Food Bank marked its 20th annual Chain of Giving with a call for volunteers and donations and a public pledge to distribute holiday food across Eastern Massachusetts.
Cheryl Shondek, chief operating officer, opened the ceremony at the food bank's distribution warehouse and said the organization expects to distribute nearly 50,000 turkeys and 100,000 chickens this holiday season. "Many assume that folks are hungry at the holidays. You get it. You know that our clients are hungry 365 days a year," Shondek said.
Shondek and Catherine D'Amato, the food bank's president and CEO, thanked corporate sponsors and partners, singling out Shaw's and Star Market as the presenting sponsor. D'Amato said the Greater Boston Food Bank has delivered more than 100,000,000 pounds of fresh, healthy food throughout Eastern Massachusetts and credited volunteers, donors, advocates and government partners for sustaining that infrastructure.
D'Amato and other speakers described recent emergency measures and partnerships to address rising need, including an emergency fund of $2,000,000 stood up in partnership with the Boston Foundation and local partners. She encouraged attendees to give time or money and noted Stop & Shop's fundraising campaign to raise $350,000; organizers said a $50 donation through that campaign would feed a family of four for Thanksgiving.
Sponsors and donors named at the event included Shaw's and Star Market, Stop & Shop, Roach Brothers, PriceRite, Richard Broccoli, Wegmans, Big Y Supermarkets, Table Talk Pies, C & S Wholesale Distribution, Turtle Lot Produce, B & B Trading Corporation, New England Food Brokerage, Olivia's Organics and State Garden, the Levitt Corporation and Walmart.
Organizers closed formal remarks by instructing attendees to form two lines and create a human chain to unload turkeys from Door 8; volunteers then began moving items to distribution points.
