Wanjiru Waweru, Jadetimes Staff
W. Waweru is Jadetimes News Reporter Covering America News
Worcester, Massachusetts – Delivery day at the South Worcester Neighborhood Center mandates all hands on deck. A dozen volunteers participate in the morning unloading, and unpacking of food donations from the Worcester County Food Bank.
“We can use all the volunteers we can possibly get on that day because it’s just a pain in the neck,” director Tom L’Ecuyer said, “At the same time, we are still providing food to people who are outside at the doors, waiting at the doors sometimes before we even open up.”
L’Ecuyer reported they were reviewing a different 76% upgrading in clients and providing anywhere from 160 to 180 families a day.
“In the past, we were probably doing about 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of food pretty much a week,” said L’Ecuyer. “Now we are doing roughly 30,000 pounds of food a week.”
The overpriced command for support may reach the difficult with fewer than a week before Thanksgiving. The food pantry reported this year, they could not promise a turkey to everyone.
“This year is tremendously different than any years in the past. Obviously, there are some people that are very upset by it. We’ve been running turkey days here for as long as I’ve been here since 2012 and this is the very first year to do that," said L’Ecuyer. “So, it’s disheartening.”
L’ Ecyuer reported they would be looking forward to arranging to grab some turkeys, however, they would not when or how many. They would rather deal with over 200 $20 gift cards from the Worcester County Food Bank and a bunch of dinner sidedish.
“We got some butternut squash, some acorn squash, potatoes, onions, carrots, bags of potatoes,” L’Ecuyer said. “So, we do have that stuff there, but no turkeys.”
After the Thanksgiving season, L’Ecuyer would be highly concerned that the center would suffer to main with the high expectations arriving into an occupied Christmas season. The food pantry reported they would require as many donations as urgent this holiday season.
“Where we are at now, I don’t know how we are going to do what we want to do,” said L’Ecuyer. “I think this year, especially for Christmas time, we are going to focus all our efforts on the children.”
