The Food Baskets MV, a food donation program operated by Good Shepherd Parish, continues to serve the needs of Islanders, distributing an average of 120 baskets of fresh produce and frozen food from the Greater Boston Food Pantry.
A new video has been created to highlight the program, which is always in need of financial contributions to sustain it, Joe Capobianco, the program’s director, told The Times.
“We have been pretty steady all year long at 120 boxes,” he wrote in an email. With winter coming on, Capobianco expects the need to grow to as many as 150 boxes per week.
According to the video, which was produced by Capion Studio, the program began in 2017 with a backpack program for students headed back to school. Since then, the program has distributed more than 600,000 pounds of food to families on the Vineyard.
Martha’s Vineyard Bank’s Charitable Foundation donated a 26-foot refrigerated box truck to the program. “It’s a great feeling to be able to give back to our community,” Patti Leighton of MV Bank says during the video.
The brief video also shares stories from volunteers, as well as recipients. “It’s amazing how many people are in need of this service,” Anthony, a volunteer, said onscreen. “You kind of show up saying, My God, there’s a ton of boxes and a ton of food here, but by the end it’s all gone. It’s needed. It truly is needed.”
Meanwhile, Francis, a recipient, calls the program a “blessing.”
The video concludes with Capobianco thanking Father Mike Nagle for allowing him to start the food basket program and Good Shepherd’s new pastor, the Rev. Paul Fedak, for allowing him to continue it.
“Thank you for supporting our program,” Capobianco said on screen. “Have a wonderful day.”
To donate, go to thefoodbasketsmv.org.
