Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative: FOOD PANTRY NEARS OPENING

Friends,

The temperature was in the teens, but volunteers kept warm on Wednesday morning, Feb. 9, helping John from the Berkshire Community Action Council (BCAC) unload the first delivery of food for the Northern

Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative’s Friendship Center Food Pantry.

I want to thank Mark Lincourt, Kathy Keeser, Al Nelson and Corinne Case for responding to help on short notice. I also want to thank Lois Daunis for her help in puttting down door mats and getting us keys to the back door. Thanks also to John, and Shirley McDonald, of BCAC, who have been a pleasure to work with. Stuart Crampton has been instrumental in getting our shelves set up and in other ways.

We will be opening the pantry between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning either Wednesday, Feb. 16, or Wednesday, Feb. 23. Whether we open for distribution or not on Feb. 16, we will be receiving another food donation between 9 and 9:30 a.m. that day.

After our experience Feb. 9, it's clear that ideally we could use six volunteers to unload each time we receive a delivery. And I would imagine we would need four or five volunteers for the hours we are open. Eventually, we will have evening hours when the pantry will be open.

With that said, I would now like to ask for those who can volunteer between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on all or any of the following Wednesdays to let me know which days and hours you can work: Wednesdays, Feb. 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, and 23.

You can send me an e-mail at northernberkshireinterfaith@gmail.com, markrondeau@earthlink.net, or call me at 664-0130. Or if you wish, put your information in a comment at the bottom of this blog.

We plan to eventually be open in the evening also. So those of you with day jobs (I happen to work nights) should also let us know if you are interested in volunteering and when you would be available. We will need volunteers for the long haul, so everyone who wants to will get a chance to be part of this.

A volunteer training

There will be a Food Safety Education Class for those volunteering or interested in volunteering at our food pantry on Thursday, March 24, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative Friendship Center and Food Pantry at 43 Eagle St. Everyone is encouraged to attend. There is no cost, and we need at least 10 people. This will be valuable basic information for anyone who in anyway participates. Please RSVP soon to Mark Rondeau at 664-0130 or by e-mail if you plan on attending.

Next Initiative meeting

The next meeting of the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative will be held on Friday, February 18, at 10 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of North Adams (use Eagle Street entrance). In addition to our usual moment of silence and faith sharing, we will have a presentation from the Western Mass and reports on other activities in which our members are involved.

All are welcome. God Bless.

Mark