​Portsmouth Police Host Second Annual Five-O Food Drive

PORTSMOUTH, NH — Portsmouth Police officers are again organizing a collection for the Seacoast Family Food Pantry from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, at the Market Basket on Woodbury Avenue. The officers will park black and white cruisers in front of the store, and hand out flyers with a list of specific items that the food pantry needs during the holiday season.

Shoppers who wish to participate can purchase items on the list, then bring them to the cruisers. Several officers, department employees, and their family members will be on hand to man the collection on their own time-while others will stop by on duty (on duty officers will remain available to answer calls).

Last year, Officers Lynn Thomas, Seth Tondreault, and former Portsmouth police officer Brian Lewis came up with the idea of holding a holiday food drive to help the less fortunate Seacoast residents. It was so successful that Officer Thomas decided to organize the 2nd Annual Five-O food drive this year!
When the collection has ended, officers will deliver the items to the food pantry at their new location, located at 210 West Road, Suite 3.

The Seacoast Food Pantry serves residents of Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, New Castle, Newington, North Hampton, Portsmouth, Rye, Seabrook, Stratham, and Kittery, Maine.

The Seacoast Family Food Pantry was organized in 1816 as the Ladies Humane Society, and is one of the oldest social service agencies in New Hampshire. Originally intended to assist the families of fishermen, the agency was renamed in 2007 as the Seacoast Family Food Pantry and has grown to become a nearly $500,000 organization.

If anyone has questions, or cannot attend the food drive but would still like to make a donation, please contact Officer Lynn Thomas at 603-610-7530 or lthomas@cityofportsmouth.com or contact the Seacoast Family Food Pantry directly at 603-436-0641.

Submitted by Capt. Frank Warchol of the Portsmouth Police Department.

Image via Shutterstock.