Around Town

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Around Town

October Drive Collecting Items for Food Pantries in Watertown

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Items collected for the Watertown Community Foundation’s food drive in January. The Foundation is organizing another one in the month of October. The Watertown Community Foundation will once again organize a food drive to collect items for the two food pantries in town at a time when donations are typically down. Items are being collected at the Watertown Public Schools, as well as the Watertown Police Station and Watertown Free Public Library and several local businesses. As always, items will also be accepted at the Watertown Food Pantry (80 Mt.

Business

Watertown Insurance Agency Collecting Items for Watertown Food Pantry

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H&K Insurance in Watertown announced it is collecting donations for the Watertown Food Pantry. H&K recently set up their collection display and are asking for non-perishable items or monetary donations.  According to Kathleen Cunningham, Coordinator for the Watertown Food Pantry, the items most in need are peanut butter, cold cereal, cooking oil, tuna fish, tomato sauce, cannellini beans and strawberry preserves. “We’re really excited about raising awareness and support for the Watertown Food Pantry.  They’re a great organization and we’re honored to support them,” said Brian Kilcoyne, President of H&K Insurance. H&K Insurance, who has been serving Watertown and the surrounding area since 1961, also participates in Faire in the Square in September and a yearly Toys for Tots drive in partnership with ServiceMaster by Gilmore in December. Donations can be brought to H&K’s office at 182 Main Street from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday, with the exception of 4 o’clock closure on Friday.