Good morning everyone. I was very saddened to come downstairs this morning and hear from Mike that Pope Francis had passed away. What a blessing that he got to celebrate the Easter service yesterday though. From all that I have read about this man, he truly had a servant's heart, and to all of my Catholic friends, I am truly sorry for this loss. May the cardinals involved in choosing the next pope be wise and compassionate.
We had a good week, filled with opportunities to help people in our community. On Wednesday, our intrepid team of buyers went out to finish off the grant that we'd been given to purchase cooking staples and fresh produce for the communal kitchen at the migrant shelter in Ayer. Many thanks to Alison, Rich, Sue, Paula, Denise, Jacque, and Mich for all your hard work over the last 3 months!
On Saturday, we had an abundance of produce to give out, plus we had Shop 'n Save gift cards so that people could choose something nice for Easter dinner...or anything else they wanted! This abundance was topped off by boxes of donated Girl Scout cookies, baggies of homemade cookies from our baking volunteers, and a return of the Coffee Bar! Thank you so much to everyone who donated these items and more, to make the lives of other people better.
There are so many more people for us to be thankful for: people who week after week make deliveries to us, run food drives, donate food and money, come and help with packing, stocking, and serving; folks who give their time and talents to do haircuts, wellness checks, and tutoring; advocates who pick up our recyclables every week; local police who guide us on issues when we need help and who make sure that both locals and transients can get food from us when they need it. We're also extremely thankful for Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, which provides us the space to do all of this!
When the world is dark and divided, getting involved and helping others is a way to act on the side of love. Would you like to get more involved in a local non-profit that continues to work to build a bigger and more inclusive table? Just let me know. You can help as you are able...not every task has to be every week. Tell me what you're interested in: helping with the coffee bar? baking cookies? coming to dinner? a talent you want to share? I'd love to hear from you!
If you can shop for us this week, we are low on a few items: spaghetti sauce, fruit cups, 18 oz containers of oatmeal, and small boxes of Jiffy mix (cornbread or biscuits). We can take drop-offs at the pantry (through the gray door next to the parking lot on Cambridge Street) on Wednesdays from 10 to noon, Fridays from 4 to 5, and Saturdays only from 9 to 10. Please note that these are shorter hours than before, because of parking logistics. Please do not leave food at the door outside of these hours. The bin is always available at Shop n' Save if those times don't suit. Please leave a note in the bag with your name so we know whom to thank! We are located at 21 Washington Street, Suite C, Ayer MA 01432
Everyone, please take good care of yourselves, and thank you!
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