A Big Thank You to all neighbors who received calls for help this past weekend and to all our volunteers. More than 40 volunteers reached out to our community for our first annual Phonathon. We are so grateful to be surrounded by very generous neighbors. Pledge forms were mailed out this week and we look forward to calculating our final numbers. Donations are still being accepted securely on our website, www.franklinfoodpantry.org.
Join the Franklin Community Garden in building 46 raised garden beds, Saturday, May 7th @ the King Street Playground (located off of King Street near the intersection of Forest Street). Volunteers will be building the beds and then filling them up with gorgeous soil! There are 2 shifts (9am - 12noon or 1pm - 4pm) or you can join us the whole day! No amazing "building skills" required. All the wood will be pre-cut, so if you know how to hold a piece of wood or can help shovel, all extra community hands are welcome! Please bring cordless drills, shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, pitch forks etc. if you have them.
Next Saturday, May 14th is Stamp Out Hunger day. Stamp Out Hunger is the Nation's Largest Single Day Food Drive. We need many volunteers from 2pm - 6pm @ the Pantry to help us sort the thousands of pounds of anticipated food donations. Please consider leaving a bag of items from our attached needs list at your mailbox on Saturday morning, May 14th and our letter carriers will pick up and deliver to the Franklin Food Pantry. Thank you to the Franklin Post Office and Letter Carriers.
Season 2 of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution will return with all new episodes beginning Friday, June 3rd at 9pm ET/8pm CT. If you've missed either of the first two episodes, they will be airing back-to-back on Friday May 27th at 8:00 and 9:00 pm ET (7 and 8 CT) or you can watch them on www.abc.com. We invite you to help by spreading the word and joining the revolution:
Are you a backyard gardener (or do you know a backyard farmer)? Do you want to plant an extra row this year to help our neighbors in need? We are starting a Plant a Row program and are getting ready to open registration and distribute row markers and brochures. If you are interested in participating, please email PlantARow@franklinfoodpantry.org.
We are celebrating a recent grant received from the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation to launch our Produce Points program at the Franklin Farmers Market in June 2011. Produce Points is modeled after the Double Value Coupon Program developed by Wholesome Wave. Stay tuned.
Michelle Clay of Franklin has generously volunteered to create a food resource cookbook for the Franklin Food Pantry and is inviting you all to be recipe testers. You can find more information and many recipes here (Thank you Michelle!) http://pantrycookbook.blogspot.com/ Good food nourishes the body and the spirit. With regular, nutritious meals, we are free to grow, to think, to smile, to live. In 2011, we will expand our capacity to provide our clients with a wide range of opportunities for gaining access to local, fresh, nutritious food. Our free Farmer's Market for clients was a great success in 2010 and thanks to generous Donors we look forward to working with Grateful Farm to continue this program beginning in June 2011.
In 2011, we hope to continue to learn with you, our community, the many elements of nutrition, food systems, local resources and to explore the questions, "What is food?" and "Where does our food come from?". We believe everyone has the right to access healthy, affordable food choices.
Please contact annemarie@franklinfoodpantry.org if you are interested in working together on any of the programs mentioned or if you have a great idea that may align well with any of the above.
Please forward to any friends or family who may be interested.
Thank You
Anne Marie Bellevance
