On Saturday, The Open Door will host a drive-thru food pantry from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pathways For Children, on Emerson Avenue in Gloucester.
The special drive-thru distribution augments Open Door’s regular pantry hours in Gloucester and Ipswich, and will include basic canned and dry goods as well as milk, eggs, meat, cheese, produce, coffee, olive oil and more.
“The pandemic has created record food insecurity across the community,” said Julie Hazen LaFontaine, president and CEO of The Open Door. “We want food to be one less thing to worry about during this already stressful time.
The distribution is open to both new and existing clients who live in one of the ten towns serviced by The Open Door. A simple registration at www.foodpantry.org is required for planning purposes. (Direct link here.)
“This market is powered by the support of a community that cares,” LaFontaine said. “It can be hard ask for help, but we encourage people to get food if they need it. No one should go without.”
Saturday is the first of several drive-thru-style food distributions planned for this year. The organization is planning a second in Ipswich next month. The Open Door’s mission is to alleviate the impact of hunger. From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March through the end of December, the organization has stabilized nearly 5,000 households providing 1,433,890 pounds of groceries (equal to 1,194,908 meals) through 32,336 curbside distributions and deliveries. The organization’s kitchen has operated daily to produce 41,237 fresh dinners available through pickup or delivery. During the summer, The Open Door distributed 38,754 breakfasts and lunches to local children, and for the holidays we provided 2,123 baskets.
Regular hours are offered weekly at The Open Door’s two food pantries.
