Published November 14, 2019
NORTH READING — Fueled by a series of fall fundraisers, the North Reading Food Pantry punched through the $100,000 milestone with the latest event, “Food Pantry Party at the ‘Shoe,” bringing in $9,225.
In October, the Cornhole Tournament organized by Pantry volunteer Penny Esposito fattened the fund by $5,060 and the very next evening the popular “Taste of North Reading,” sponsored by Aldersgate United Methodist Church, garnered over $2,000, while the Birdhouse Silent Auction in late September realized $1,250. When the newest funds are registered, the account will top $122,000.
Stacey DiCarlo and her team engineered the “The Food Pantry Party at the ‘Shoe” where 150 party-goers crowded into The Horseshoe Grille to rock to the music of Wes and the Random Locals and to eagerly buy up raffle tickets and strings of purple Mardi Gras beads. A silent auction contributed more than $1,000 to the to the total raised.
As the Food Pantry HOME Fund grows, plans for changes to the physical building on the grounds of the Union Congregational Church are taking shape. With the June 2020 goal in mind, the 300th Anniversary Committee is on track to dedicate the Food Pantry’s new home in mid-year.
The Food Pantry is presently serving as many as 100 families each month, and that figure is unfortunately growing as the need in the community expands. Pantry volunteers stand ready to serve any North Reading resident in need, and the volunteers eagerly anticipate the day when they can better meet the needs in a clean, properly-equipped space.