While the country was absorbed in its jarring political crisis, the Army of Good broke its record. Despite the distraction for much of the country, it broke its previous records for sending urgently needed food to the Cambridge Food Pantry.
“The Army of Good did a great deal of good, ” Pantry Director Sarah Harrington told me this morning,” they really came through for us. Please thank them for all of us.”
(Photo: it takes a community to support a food pantry. This afternoon, two new volunteers, a grandmother and her granddaughter, proudly showed me the gnome she has just knitted. They are both going to come and help out at the Food Pantry as often as they can. Grandma reads the blog.)
The most poignant request for help came from an elderly woman who said she had dentures but could not afford to buy the adhesive to keep them in her mouth. It was a unique appeal, the first directly to me and the Army of Good, and we responded by filling two big boxes with Poligrip along with the tampons, pads, juices, and other foods requested during the past week.
Everyone who needed some got some. Same with the tampons and pads on “Women’s Day.”
Tomorrow, the Pantry support will be devoted to the Compassion Revolution, underway in much of the country. We will send Tide and Dish Soap, two other items that are out of stock and off the shelves.
The Army of Good reminds me daily that the Compassion Revolution is real.
They live all over the country.
Today, I am posting photos of the donations we have been sending to the pantry most recently. I spent several hours at the pantry today, and everyone in the building thanked me and told me how much the Army of Good has done for the pantry families.
I asked Sarah if the patrons read the blog, and she said, “Oh yes, they read it every day, and they know what you all are doing and appreciate it.”
Here are the photos I took today. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each one of you. Your support transforms this worthy venture into something even more impactful, alleviating the suffering of those facing challenges beyond their control.
Poligrip and women’s hygienic needs.
Salmon and soup, chunky vegetables, and tuna.
Tampax and polygraph, bacterial soap, and women’s pads.
One of the most requested items is salad dressings. It’s hard to keep on the shelves.
Chicken in cans, a healthy and simple dinner for the many single mothers.
Mashed potatoes and skillets.
Ramen beef and chicken.
Stuffing for turkeys.
Juices and more juices. Believe it or not, the boxes of Lemonade are already gone.
Shrimp Ramen.
Tampons and different sizes of pads.
Breakfast cereal, vitamins, and minerals for children.
Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli.
Chicken noodle soups are one of the most frequently requested.
