Business

Arsenal Yards Collects Hundreds of Items for Watertown Food Pantry

By |

Some of the 750 items collected during the Arsenal Yards Neighborhood Pickup. They will go to the Watertown Food Pantry. The following announcement was provided by Arsenal Yards:

Last week, Arsenal Yards held a Neighborhood Pickup event, during which they invited members of the local community to drop off a donation to the Watertown Food Pantry in exchange for a tie dye swag bag full of perks from Arsenal Yards retailers, along with crafts and surprises from Arsenal Yards. There was an overwhelmingly great response for the food donations, with more than 750 items being donated, along with some cash donations. The team from Arsenal Yards delivered the donations to the Watertown Food Pantry on Tuesday, July 28 (photos attached), and would like to send a huge thank you to the local community and to all who came and donated for their generosity.

Business

Arsenal Yards Giving Away “Good Vibe” Bags, Collecting for Food Pantry

By |

The following information was provided by Arsenal Yards:

Stop by Monday, July 20th – Wednesday, July 23rd from 11AM – 1PM to receive a special surprise from AY and support our local community! Sign-up required. Limited bags available, only 1 bag per family. Please register to secure your spot. It’s a good day to have a good day, so we hope you enjoy this Good Vibes bag including:

DIY Kids Face Mask Kit: (2) kids cloth face masks, (2) tie dye colorsA Tie Dye surprise (we know you’ll love!) for adults An adult face maskDiscounts towards newly opened, Ben & Jerry’s!A free pass towards Majestic 7A special perk from Shake ShackMessages from our neighbors, New Rep Theater and Watertown Farmers MarketSwag from T-mobile and more!

Around Town

Two Watertown Groups Get COVID-19 Grants from Tufts Health Plan Foundations

By |

The following information was provided by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation:

Tufts Health Plan Foundation has identified the first 21 organizations to receive support from the $1 million it has committed to community efforts on behalf of older people affected by coronavirus in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut. “This first wave of funding addresses one of the most pressing concerns facing older people — food insecurity,” said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan president and CEO. “These organizations are working on the front lines to meet critical needs and are well-positioned to respond to emerging priorities. Our communities depend on them, now more than ever.”

The organizations include area agencies on aging that provide meals and other support services to older people, food banks, and community organizations that are serving as hubs for collaborative regional responses. They include:

Massachusetts        $150,000

The Boston Foundation, COVID-19 Response Fund $25,000The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts $25,000The Greater Boston Food Bank $50,000Union Capital Boston, COVID-19 Fund $15,000Watertown Community Foundation, Community Resilience Fund $ 5,000Watertown Food Pantry (via Watertown Council on Aging) $ 5,000Worcester County Food Bank $25,000

Rhode Island                $125,000

Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island $25,000Rhode Island Community Food Bank $50,000United Way of Rhode Island, Rhode Island COVID-19 Response Fund $50,000

New Hampshire        $110,000

Granite United Way, COVID-19 Relief Fund $15,000Monadnock United Way, COVID-19 Relief Fund $15,000The New Hampshire Food Bank $50,000United Way of Greater Nashua, COVID-19 Emergent Needs Response Fund $15,000United Way of the Greater Seacoast, COVID-19 Family Fund $15,000

Connecticut                $100,000

Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut $10,000Connecticut Food Bank $50,000North Central Area Agency on Aging $10,000Senior Resources Agency on Aging $10,000Southwestern CT Agency on Aging and Independent Living $10,000Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging $10,000

“Communities and leaders are uniting to face this challenge,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan.

Around Town

Watertown Food Pantry Changing Hours, Opening One Day a Week

By |

Items collected for the Watertown Community Foundation’s food drive in January. The Foundation is organizing another one in the month of October. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) the Watertown Food Pantry will be consolidating hours and will be open one day a week. Beginning March 24, the Watertown Food Pantry will be open for extended hours on Tuesdays, but will not be open on Thursdays. The Pantry, located at the rear of the Belmont-Watertown United Methodist Church at 80 Mt.

Around Town

Local Cable Station Collecting Food for the Watertown Food Pantry

By |

This year WCA-TV announced it is putting on a food drive for the Watertown Food Pantry. The collection runs from March 16 to April 6, and will be ending in time for Passover and Easter. Drop off locations will be at the Watertown Cable studio, in the basement of Watertown High School, at the high school (50 Columbia St.), or at the Watertown Police Station (552 Main St.). The Watertown Pantry needs include: coffee, cold cereal, baked beans, canned vegetables, canned fruit, boxed oatmeal, tomato sauce and dried pasta and rice. Please do not donate opened or expired food.

Around Town

Ice Skate on New Year’s Day, Help the Watertown Food Pantry

By |

Join a Watertown New Year’s Day tradition by skating at John A. Ryan Arena and help the Watertown Food Pantry. The New Year’s Day Family Skate will be from 2-4 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2020. The event is organized by the Venezia family, and donations will be collected to support the Watertown Food Pantry. Skate rentals will be free that day.

Around Town

Watertown Scouts Collect $10K in Items for Food Pantry

By |

Den leader Stephen Lipscomb works with Bear Scouts from Pack 30 to purchase $200 in shampoo and soap for clients of the Watertown Food Pantry. The following piece was provided by Watertown Boy Scout Troop 30 and Cub Scout Pack 30:

In what may be the largest-ever one-day event to benefit the Watertown Food Pantry, scouts on Saturday collected $10,000 worth of food at the Watertown Street Stop & Shop. 

That’s twice what was collected last year in the annual event called Scouting for Food. “I’m overwhelmed by the effort of all the boys and girls in the scouts,” said Kathleen Cunningham, Watertown Food Pantry Coordinator. “It’s amazing that all those parents and leaders make this work possible.”

Pack 30, with scouts age 5-10, and Troop 30, with scouts age 10-17, come together every year to collect donations for the Watertown Food Pantry. Last year, 200 bags of groceries were collected from Stop & Shop customers at 171 Watertown Street. The this year, the response from Stop & Shop customers was so great, scouts needed to change how they collect goods.

Charity

Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts Collecting Food for Watertown Food Pantry

By |

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts announced they are holding their biggest joint service project of the year this Saturday, Nov. 23. Scouts from Troop 30 and Pack 30 will be at Stop & Shop, 171 Watertown Street, from 9-3 p.m. collecting food and personal items for the Watertown Food Pantry. Scouts have traditionally collected items that are eventually measured in tons — We filled 200 paper bags full of groceries last year. This year we’re bringing bins so extra resources are not used during this effort to feed our community.