The Martha's Vineyard Times

The season of giving is not done

December 28, 2011

To the Editor:

Letters regarding the Island Food Pantry and the support it has received in recent weeks attest to the activist, caring character of Islanders and Island organizations. Never mind the occasional small-minded grumblings over who is entitled to the food assistance, the Island does one hell of a job in caring for the less fortunate among us.

But winter is coming. And after the holiday season, those donations from various food drives, as well as individuals in general, start to drop off a cliff. The hunger problem only gets worse.

There is a group of food pantry volunteers who continue to collect and distribute food through the winter, and in fact throughout the year. "Friends of the Island Food Pantry" solicits food donations from local supermarket patrons, provides them a "shopping list" of needed items, then delivers to the Food Pantry.

Volunteers from the Unitarian Church have been doing this, week-in, week-out, for four years now, and many tons of food have been collected in this manner. When readers see these folks at Cronig's and Stop & Shop this winter, know that they maintain a critical year-round link in getting non-perishable food items from donors like you to the young families, seniors, and the unemployed who depend on help from the community during particularly tough times. Give generously.

Jack Street

Vineyard Haven