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North Adams Delivers Donations from Annual Food Drive

Collection boxes are put out in municipal buildings and facilities each year to gather goods for the annual holiday food drive.  Assistant to the Superintendent Bobbi Tassone, Assistant Superintendent Timothy Callahan and school facilities manager Robert Flaherty helped with the delivery. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city delivered several boxes filled with food, personal care and other essential items to Eagle Street on Monday, all of which were donated as part of this year's annual food drive. 

This year's drive worked to re-stock the shelves of the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative's Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry, located at 43 Eagle St. City workers, as well as Timothy Callahan, assistant superintendent of North Adams Public Schools, came to deliver the items. 

Rich Davis, the food coordinator for the pantry, thanked the city and the community for helping to keep the pantry filled. 

"It's just nice to see the community out there helping to support those who are not as fortunate," he said. "... we certainly appreciate the support of the community. Not just at this time, but all year round." 

The Food Pantry is encouraging donations such as: tuna; peanut butter; brown rice; whole wheat pasta; pasta sauce; low sodium canned vegetables (e.g. potatoes, green beans, carrots); low sodium soups; whole grain cereals (low sugar) and/or oatmeal; canned fruits (no sugar added); and beans (e.g. kidney beans and garbanzo beans). In addition, personal care items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo were also included.

"Some of the items that we will get in today is stuff that we may carry on a regular basis, but a lot of items are not," 'Davis said. "So that gives us a little variety for us to offer to our friends, too." 

The annual food drive is one way items come to the food bank, in addition to contributions from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, individuals, local supermarkets and businesses. Drop-off boxes were available throughout the city for residents to donate and collections were taken up in city departments, which Davis said helps the pantry get donations it may not have otherwise received. 

This year's donations weighed in at 525 pounds, Davis said later. 

"This here gives a greater number of individuals, who may not have time to do it, just on their own, but they can bring it to their work and have the city bring it into us," he said.

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