Spring Shred Event & Food Drive This Saturday 3/29!

A1 Datashred will host their annual Spring Shred Event and Breakfast Food Drive on Saturday, March 29 from 9 am to 12 noon at Melrose High School. Proceeds from the event will benefit the work of The Food Drive, a Melrose-based hunger relief and food rescue nonprofit. The Food Drive will deliver all donated food to Melrose’s two food pantries: A Servant’s Heart Food Pantry at Faith Evangelical Church and Pantry of Hope at First Baptist Church.

A family-operated business owned by Melrose residents Liz and Dave Bianco, A1 Datashred will provide a state-of-the art mobile truck (complete with shred camera!) that will destroy documents on site, including old bank statements, airline tickets, credit cards, medical bills, and much more. Suggested donation is $10 for one box or two bags, and A1 Datashred will recycle all shredded paper to ensure there is no impact on landfill.

In a similar spirit, The Food Drive promotes food security in the community through food rescue, while simultaneously diverting food from landfills. “It means so much to our business and our family to support The Food Drive. Food is being used that would have been thrown away otherwise.” said Liz Bianco. Liz is the outgoing Founding Board President for The Food Drive, and has been a committed volunteer for the organization since their formation in 2020 during the pandemic.

Founded in 2001 by a church member, Pantry of Hope is open on Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Started in 1996 on a basement bookshelf, A Servant’s Heart Food Pantry is open Friday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 AM. Both pantries currently serve 50 to 60 people weekly.

Following are items needed for the Breakfast Food Drive:

• Applesauce
• Canned Fruit
• Dried Fruit
• Cereal
• Granola
• Instant Coffee
• Juice
• Oatmeal
• Tea

• Shelf-Stable Milk