Watertown Schools, Businesses Collecting for Food Pantries as Need Rises with Government Shutdown

The Watertown Public Schools PTOs, the Watertown Police and local businesses have teamed up to collect donations for food pantries in town after hearing about the need due to the Federal Government shutdown. Donations of non-perishable and non-expired food are being collected at several locations around town. The drive started after people in town heard about the recent increase in use of food pantries, said Lauren Coughlin Unsworth, one of the organizers. “The idea came up when we heard that the government shutdown was creating a larger demand our local pantries and that they had a great need for donations,”

Coughlin Unsworth is on the Lowell School PTO as well as the board of the Watertown Community Foundation and she teamed up with Watertown resident and owner of Get Lively, Jan Taylor. Taylor approached local businesses along with the Rotary Club of Watertown, and Coughlin Unsworth used her contacts in the schools.

Watertown Real Estate Agency Holding Food Drive

Century 21 Commonwealth in Watertown is holding a food drive this month to help people in town. The drive will run from Feb. 8 through Feb. 21. “We are collecting non-perishable foods, paper goods and other needed items to benefit the Food Pantries in Watertown,” said the announcement from Century 21 Commonwealth.