Continue reading »]]> THANK YOU!

to all who sponsored our 5th annual “Get Off Your CAN! 5K Run/Walk to End Hunger” which hosted over 150 runners and walkers in Colt State Park on May 11th.  Race sponsorships and registrations brought in funds which are critical to the success of our growing food programs.

Beverly Larson & Gary Watros

The Marion-Jarbeau-Huse-Turshen Family

Gils Television & Appliance

Bristol Marine

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics

East Bay Chiropractic Health Center

Shawen Williams & Andrew MacKeith

Allstate Insurance

Holmes Landscape Construction

Oliver Insurance Agency Inc

Others, Inc.

Reliable Pest Control

Herbert Sackett & Ronnee Wasserman

John & Sandra Tolley

Jo-Ann Wilbur

The Gob Shop

Bristol Total Fitness

94 HJY

Continue reading »]]> Mark your calendar and dust off your sneakers – our 5th Annual Get Off Your CAN!  5K Run/Walk to End hunger is tomorrow!

Date:  Saturday, May 11, 2013

Location:  Bristol Town Beach Pavilion

Race time:  8:30 am

Registration:  begins at 7:00 am

Entry Fee is $30 the day of the event.  Registration forms are available at our Thrift Shop at the corner of Wood and Franklin streets in Bristol or at the race.  (Sorry, online registration is closed.)

And in case you’re wondering how your registration can help…$25 buys 250 lbs of food!!!

Teams are welcome…join together with family, friends or colleagues and walk or run for fun and to raise money for a great organization. Can’t make it that day or not up for a walk? Consider making a donation or becoming a sponsor for the race! For more information on sponsoring this event or questions about the race please contact Anita at 401-396-9490 or arandall@eastbayfoodpantry.org

RACE DETAILS: The race will be held at Colt State Park, Bristol, RI. The main entrance is located on Rte 114/Hope Street. Follow signs posted in the park to the Bristol Town Beach Pavilion for registration. The 5K will circle through Colt State Park with the start/finish line at the Bristol Town Beach. Registration will begin at 7:00am at the Bristol Town Beach Pavilion and wrap up at 8:15am.

This race is sanctioned by USA Track & Field. Official times will be tracked and posted by Spitler Race Systems. Medals will be awarded to the top male and female overall and in each running group.

Check out our complete 5K brochure here!

Continue reading »]]> The East Bay Food Pantry is pleased to announce The Walmart Foundation as our 2013 Access Nutrition Title Sponsor.

The East Bay Food Pantry is grateful to The Walmart Foundation for its support!

Continue reading »]]> Thanks to the dedication of Christmas 4 Kids coordinator, Dyan Vaughan, and her team of amazing “elves” (Kara Rocha, Lauren Martel, Nicki Tyska, and Ann Roussel), 380 East Bay Food Pantry children will have gifts this year!

The all-volunteer team began program preparations months ago and have been requesting and collecting donations and gifts for many weeks.  In addition to the countless gifts donated by the organizers themselves, donors and donation sites include:

Creatoyvity, Nutrition 4 Life, Bristol Marine, Tri Mack Plastics, La Vida! Dance and Fitness, Ladies Auxiliary – Bristol Fire Dept, Leo’s Ristorante, Barrington Post Office, Citizens Bank, Bristol Post Office, First Congregational Church in Bristol, Trane, Blithewold, Bristol Yoga Studio, William Raveis Chapman, Naturally Divine, and many generous “Secret Santas”.

Check out the coverage on Patch…     Christmas 4 Kids on Patch

Continue reading »]]> With holiday program participation up again this year, we are grateful for our partners in the community who help us make Thanksgiving and Christmas more festive for our clients!  We distributed nearly 300 Thanksgiving meal baskets on November 20th, with 175 baskets provided by the Bristol County Elks Lodge and provisions for another 100 provided by East Bay Cares (charitable arm of Elks).  The Bristol Rotary donated a dozen large baskets which were earmarked for families with a minimum of five members.  Many clients brought thank you cards to share – here are a few:

“Thank you for making our Thanksgiving happen.”

“You made our holiday a holiday. Without your generosity and hard work, this would be another grueling day, wondering how we would survive.”

“Thank-you for the food basket. I went from working 32 hours a week to 14 hours, and I really needed this for the holiday for me and my family.”

“It is with great emotion that I thank you. We are a family of five. I have 3 children. It has been a hard year in many ways. My husband has a job, but with all the rising costs there is barely enough food for the day. Food is a major issue. Because of your efforts and generosity we will be able to give thanks on this Thanksgiving. I pray God blesses you, as you have blessed us.”

“Thank you for making life a little bit better.”

New this December, instead of Christmas food baskets, clients select holiday meal fixings in addition to the standard pantry offerings.  Selections include cranberry sauce, instant mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, water chestnuts, bread or muffin mix, and dessert mix.  We are expecting over 300 client households to shop in the pantry this month and we would welcome donations of holiday foods. We are particularly in need of:

Gravy
Stuffing
Quick bread or muffin mix
Dessert mixes – cake, cookies, brownies, etc.
Please bring the items to the East Bay Food Pantry on Wednesday, 12/19 – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Many thanks to those who have already donated December Holiday food:

First Congregational Church in Bristol

Rockwell Elementary School

Guiteras Elementary School

Sacred Heart School

Bristol Total Fitness

Olympic Physical Therapy

La Vida! Dance and Fitness

We appreciate all your support!

Continue reading »]]> Did you know that GoodSearch will donate money to the East Bay Food Pantry when you search the Internet, shop online or dine out at local restaurants?

Use GoodSearch.com to search the Internet and they donate a penny per search to your cause.

Use GoodShop.com when you shop online and they donate a percentage of every purchase and offer over 100,000 coupons to help you save money too!

Sign up for their GoodDining program and they’ll donate a percentage of your restaurant bill when you eat at any one of thousands of participating restaurants.

It’s really easy; it’s free and turns simple everyday actions into a way to make the world a better place. Please sign up today to help us support East Bay Food Pantry or choose your own.

Go to www.goodsearch.com/goodto-go/east-bay-food-pantry to get started.  And, Thank You!

Continue reading »]]> Thank you for helping us welcome our clients every week to a fully stocked pantry!  Because of your generosity, we are able to provide nutritious food for 5,000 East Bay residents.  In a recent conversation, client Donna B. helped me understand how the East Bay Food Pantry (EBFP) sustains her as a working mom with three daughters…

“I can smile today because of the food pantry.  I work full-time and live in my own home, but all the expenses really started to pile up after my divorce.  Every penny of child support goes to pay the first mortgage, which leaves me responsible for the second mortgage, utilities, and everything else.  My job doesn’t pay that much and even being really careful, it wasn’t long before the termination notices starting rolling in.

I knew I needed help, but it took me a long time to come to the food pantry.  I was too proud.  Finally I came here last August – I had to do it for my girls.  Now, because of the food pantry, my monthly grocery bill has gone down and I am getting caught up on all my bills.  It’s still really hard and we don’t have any extras, but we can stay in our home and my girls don’t have to change schools. 

The summer food program for the girls was so helpful – the amount and quality of food we picked up every week – it all adds up.  It’s phenomenal!  Hopefully my girls learn from what we go through – to be strong and to care. Coming here, to this pantry, has been an absolute blessing.”  ~ Donna B. ~ EBFP client

Unfortunately, Donna is not alone in her struggle to feed her family.  Close to 5,000 East Bay residents rely on food support from EBFP and Marleny M. (pictured below with daughter Melanie) could not be more grateful for the food assistance she, her husband and their three children have received.  “This place is THE BEST!  Thank you!”  Assisting so many people is a huge responsibility and one that we could not take on without your help and the support of our community.  Your generous gift empowers EBFP to continue caring for our most vulnerable neighbors in real and impactful ways:

*Serving nearly 1,000 people with an average of 18,000 pounds of food every month

*Access Nutrition Initiative guarantees healthy, quality foods and nutrition learning experiences year round

*NEW in 2012!  Food4Kids provides summer and weekend food for children on Free/Reduced school meals   

*NEW in 2012!  CANteen Youth Leadership program engages teens in real service projects (Weekend Food4Kids) to develop committed, caring community leaders

Little Melanie, and all the people we serve, need your help!  

Please donate today! 

Every $10 donation helps purchase 100 pounds of food.  $100 donation = 1000 pounds of food or a dozen eggs for 100 families!

Please make your tax-deductible donation online today or mail your check to:

East Bay Food Pantry

And to build on Donna’s heart-felt sentiments, caring neighbors like you are an absolute blessing!

With Great Thanks,

Anita K. Randall, Executive Director

Continue reading »]]> Many thanks to our sponsors, food providers, silent auction/wine bag in-kind donors, and our event guests for making Uncorked! 2012 our best fundraiser to date!

A gorgeous selections of wines in an impressive copper tub!

Our Fine Sponsors: