St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry Volunteers from the Boy Scouts (left to right): Jonathan Fujiwara, Daniel VanRyn, Ben VanRyn, Edward Hammonds, Jayne Popiel, Ellen Dupuis, Maureen Henry, Mary Fujiwara, Peggy Little (Food Pantry Coordinator), James Munroe-Ellis, and Dorothy Brown.
This year, members of Watertown’s Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts Pack 30 gathered at local grocery stores for a food drive to benefit residents of Watertown.
By the end of the day on Nov. 22, 17 boys had collected hundreds of pounds of food to benefit Saint Patrick – St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry and Watertown Food Pantry, according to the announcement from the Watertown Boy Scouts.
Not only did the Cub Scouts gather nonperishables at Star Market in Cambridge on Saturday afternoon, they eagerly stocked the Saint Patrick’s shelves into the evening.
Boy Scouts at Stop & Shop, Watertown St. – Nicholas Cordiero, Levi Mattison, Gavin Like, Miles Hohmann, Stop & Shop Manager Richard Nolan, Stop & Shop Assistant Store Manager Devin Haywood; back: Scoutmaster Christopher DeRocher and Gavin Like.
Peggy Little, who operates the pantry with support from a team of dedicated volunteers, told the young Scouts that their hard work would benefit the dozens of families who visit the pantry each week.
Meanwhile, the Boy Scouts worked all day at Stop & Shop on Watertown Street and hauled the food to the Watertown Food Pantry via a packed trailer.
Each fall, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Cub Scouts around the nation participate in Scouting’s “Good Turn,” Scouting for Food Program. Watertown’s Pack 30 participates in Scouting for Food each fall and spring among other civics activities, such as the annual clean up around the Charles River, to earn their Citizenship beltloop.
More Information about local food pantries:
St. Patrick – St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry: Hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Proof of residency is required. For more information, please call Peggy Little at 617-926-7121.
The Watertown Food Pantry: Located in the basement of Grace Vision United Methodist Church (formerly St. John’s), 80 Mt. Auburn St. Watertown. Hours of operation are Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Proof of residency is required. Please call 617-972-6429 for more information.