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.

Bowl 4 Kids Event Will Raise Money for Youth Programs

The Watertown High School girls basketball team will take some time away from the court to host a bowling event to raise money for youth sports and other programs for kids. Bowl 4 Kids will take place on Thursday, Feb. 16, from 6-10 p.m. at Brighton Bowl (Flatbread Co.), 76 Guest St. in Brighton. Last year, the event raised $10,000 for local organizations such as the Watertown Boys & Girls Club, the Watertown Food Pantry and youth sports organizations, said Taylor Lambo, a 2022 WHS grad who played on the girls basketball team.

LaFauci Tile Collecting Donations for Watertown Food Pantry

LaFauci Tile and Marble Inc. is hosting its annual food drive that will support the Watertown Food Pantry. Donations can be dropped off Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. If you have trouble getting here we also had people ship donation via Amazon. We look forward and thank you for your support. LaFauci is located at 432 Main St., Watertown. For information call 617-924-8453.

Food Drive Will Collect Items for Watertown’s 2 Food Pantries

The following announcement was provided by Watertown’s food pantries:

Watertown is served by two food pantries, the Watertown Food Pantry and Watertown Catholic Collaboration Food Pantry, serving approximately 150 families per week. 

On Saturday, October 22 from 12-3 p.m., the pantries will be hosting food drives at 80 Mount Auburn Street and 770 Mount Auburn Street. 

Please help your neighbors by donating needed items including canned fruit, vegetables, tuna, spam, cereal, old fashioned oats, coffee, tea, cooking oil and other shelf stable items. 

For more information on the food drives, sponsored by the Watertown Community Foundation, see the attached flyer and visit www.Watertownfoundation.org. 

Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Donates to the Food Pantry

The Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy made a donation to the Watertown Food Pantry. From Left to Right: Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator Kathy Cunningham, Event Chairman
Mark Pettiglio, Comedian Jack Lynch, Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy President Antonio
Mastantuono and Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Member Robert Martins. The following information was provided by the Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Lodge:

This month the Watertown Sons & Daughters of Italy Lodge Piave Fiume #1036, an affiliate Lodge of the National Order Sons of Italy in America, presented a check of $5,000 dollars to the Watertown Food Pantry, along with food items. The donation was made possible by hosting a comedy night fundraiser in June. Late February of 2022 the ceiling of the basement at Belmont Watertown United Methodist Church, which houses many programs and services including the Watertown Food Pantry, collapsed. “Food pantries and recovery programs were hit the hardest during the pandemic,” says event chairman, Mark Petteglio, “once we heard the ceiling collapsed we knew we needed to help.

Watertown Fitness Studio Offers Free Mother’s Day Event to Support Food Pantry

Get Lively health and fitness coach Jan Taylor will be offering a free Mother’s Day Bootcamp which will benefit the Watertown Food Pantry. The following announcement was provided by Get Lively:

Watertown-based Get Lively®: Health & Fitness (Get Lively) is offering a free bootcamp-style class for all fitness levels on Sunday, May 8 from 9 to 10:30 a.m., followed by coffee and brunch bites. People are encouraged to bring someone with them: a mother, sister, friend or anyone else. All are welcome. WHAT: FREE Mother’s Day Bootcamp Brunch 2022WHEN: Sunday, May 8, 9-10:30 a.m.WHERE: Get Lively®: Health & Fitness (100 Parker St, Watertown)WHY: Community Support (and a great workout to start the day)

While the class and brunch are free, Get Lively is assembling gift bags for women in need via the Watertown Food Pantry and would love for people to bring a new shampoo and conditioner to be included in the bags.

Watertown Scouts Running Food Drive for Local Food Pantry on Nov. 20

Troop 30Watertown Troop and Pack 30 will be collecting items for the Watertown Food Pantry on Nov. 20. The following announcement was provided by Troop 30:

Shopping for Thanksgiving? Put a few cans aside for the scouts, who are again running Watertown Food Pantry’s biggest food drive. 

On November 20 BSA scouts are collecting food for the Watertown food pantry. You can help by dropping off shelf-stable toiletries and food, noon-3 p.m., at 80 Mt.

Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator Named a Commonwealth Heroine

Kathleen Cunningham, coordinator of the Watertown Food Pantry, received the Commonwealth Heroine award recently. She was recommended for the honor by State Rep. Steve Owens, shown right. State Rep. Steve Owens provided the following announcement:

Kathleen Cunningham, of Watertown, was honored as a member of the 2021 class of Commonwealth Heroines. Recommended by State Rep. Steve Owens and selected by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW), Cunningham joins over one hundred other women who were recognized for their “unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live” according to a statement released by the MCSW. Cunningham serves as the Coordinator of the Watertown Food Pantry, which continues to be a vital resource for community members in the area.