Watertown Food Pantry Needs a Longterm Temporary Location

One of the food pantries in town must find a temporary location while their current location is under construction. The Watertown Food Pantry currently operates out of the Belmont-Watertown Methodist Church on Mt. Auburn Street, but the church will be under construction for a year or longer. When the work is completed, the Food Pantry will move back in, but it does not have a home during the interim. In 2022, the Food Pantry assisted over 140 families per week, and served around 13,000 people during the year, according to Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator Kathy Cunningham.

Watertown Group Hosts Talk with ACLU on Technology & Surveillance

The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment:

The focus of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment’s February meeting is TEACHING FOR LIBERTY, NOT SURVEILLANCE on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 7 p.m., via zoom. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87290661029?pwd=Q3dnMGxmM1cyOW1OTHRrWW8yWEREUT09

Meeting ID: 872 9066 1029Passcode: 638541

Join us for a conversation with Mass. ACLU Technology for Liberty Director Kade Crockford and Mass. ACLU Community Outreach Strategist Olivia Santoro

Learn about how current systems of surveillance and control impact us as individuals, how they impact us as a society, and how people of color, Muslims, immigrants and dissidents have become primary targets. Find out more at www.watertowncitizens.org

Discuss the Future of Watertown Square, Tour Major Art Exhibit at Networking Event

Watertown Square

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Business Coalition:

Come discuss the future of Watertown Square at the Watertown Business Coalition’s Coffee Connect on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The event is free and open to all. Representatives from the City of Watertown will be on hand to listen to business owners and residents about their vision for a revitalized Watertown Square. Also, hear about plans to create a cultural district in the center of town.

Registration Open for Charles River Cleanup on Earth Day

The following information was provided by the Charles River Watershed Association:

Registration is now open for the 24th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup on Saturday, April 22, 2023! Each year, the Charles River Cleanup brings together over 3,500 volunteers to improve the parks, forests, playgrounds, and paths and keep the Charles River clean, safe, and beautiful for all. 

The Charles River Cleanup builds on a national effort as part of American Rivers’ National River Cleanup®, which, to date, has removed over 32.5 million pounds of trash from America’s waterways. Since 1999, Charles River Cleanup volunteers have gathered each Earth Day to pick up litter, remove invasive species, and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River and the 1,100 acres of Emerald Necklace parkland surrounding the Muddy River, a tributary of the Charles. Volunteers have a long-lasting impact — the Charles River Cleanup empowers ordinary river lovers to give back to their communities in a tangible way, forge new connections with nature and each other, and become life-long stewards of our river. REGISTER FOR THE CHARLES RIVER CLEANUP HERE

“Each year, we are so humbled by the extraordinary efforts of our community to care for our beloved Charles River,” says Emily Norton, Executive Director of Charles River Watershed Association. “Thanks to the generosity of time and effort of our volunteers, we are able to transform our parks and forests, restoring our river’s ecosystem for people and wildlife alike.”

“Litter not only poses a threat to the environment but also makes the parks less welcoming.

OBIT: Mary Anne Glynn, 80, Mother of 3, Longtime St. Luke’s Parishioner

Mary Anne Glynn

Mary Anne (Kiely) Glynn age 80 of Watertown passed away peacefully on February 4, 2023. Mary Anne was the much-loved daughter of the late Yvette and David Kiely. She was the beloved wife of the late Frank Glynn and devoted mother of Patricia Ripley & her husband Wade of Westford, Kathleen McCartney & her husband John of Easton and Brian Glynn & his wife Sarah of Sudbury. She was the loving grandmother of Matt Cancian, Emma, Lila, Patrick & Maeve Glynn. Mary Anne was the dear sister of David Kiely of Wakefield, Madeliene Marino of Belmont, and the late Kathleen MacDonald & Patricia Ryan.

Find Out About Applying for Grants to Help Watertown Residents Age 55+

The following announcement was provided by the Marshall Home Fund:

The Marshall Home Fund (MHF) is a community-based charitable foundation dedicated toserving Watertown residents aged 55 and older. We annually award modest program grants to public agencies, private non-profits, and town departments serving Watertown’s older adultpopulation. MHF also provides financial assistance grants to older residents in urgent need. MHF funds innovative projects and core services to support Watertown’s efforts to be an Age-Friendly Community — a place where older adults can live, thrive and contribute. Since itsinception in 2005, MHF has awarded over $1,000,000 in grants! Some of our recent grantrecipients include The Mosesian Center for the Arts, Metro West Collaborative Development,the Watertown Recreation Department, Perkins School for the Blind, Project Literacy, theSenior Center, and many others. 

The Marshall Home Fund would like to invite community members representing non-profit agencies and town departments to join us for a virtual Grant Information Session on Thursday, February 9th at 3:00 p.m. to hear about our 2023-2024 grant opportunities.

City Encourages Residents to Return Census, Not Doing So Could Impact Voting Status

The following announcement came from the City of Watertown:

The annual City Census will be arriving in your mailbox soon! Be sure to complete, sign and return your Census as soon as you receive it! 

Here is why your Census is so important:

Only a census form can update your census year.  If you do not return your annual census, your census year will not be current. Each June, any voter without a current census year will be classified as an “Inactive Voter,” regardless of whether they voted in a recent election. INACTIVE VOTERS ARE STILL VOTERS AND REMAIN ON THE VOTING LIST!!! What this means at the polls:

If a voter is inactive on Election Day, they must provide ID showing their Watertown address and sign an affidavit of continuous residence, swearing that they still live in the city.