NEWTOWN, PA — The Newtown Rotary Club is reporting that Saturday's food drive at McCaffrey's Market set a record, wheeling in 24 carts brimming with food for the Wrightstown Food Cupboard.
Stationed outside the market on Saturday, members of the Newtown Rotary Club handed out fliers asking shoppers to donate food for those from the area needing a "hand up."
Once again, shoppers responded in a big way, filling shopping carts with bags brimming with food, from boxes of Cheerios to cans of soup.
Many also reached into their pockets and wallets, donating close to $900 in cash to the pantry.
Shari Donahue, the co-owner of the Zebra-Striped Whale who has been organizing the drive for the past few years for the club, was thrilled with the response from shoppers.
(Jeff Werner/Patch)
"This has been an amazing day. We have the best volunteers and people have been extra generous this year," said Donahue. "We have a record number of carts. It's very heartwarming to see," she said.
Rotarian Paul Salvatore credited Donahue for organizing another successful drive. "I don't know what we'd do without her," he said.
Gazing around at the 24 carts brimming with food, he added, "The people who shop at this store are phenomenal. We give them a bag and a list, and they bring it back full of donations. The people who work and shop at this store are special. They give from their hearts."
While the food drive helped restock the shelves at the food pantry, Salvatore noted that there is still a need for personal hygiene and cleaning items, which can be dropped off at the Penns Park United Methodist Church on 2nd Street Pike. Donations should be left at the red door.
"The reason is personal hygiene and cleaning supplies are not covered by the SNAP program," said Salvatore. "We've got soup, we've got pasta, we've got cereal, but if you look, the shelves for cleaning supplies and personal hygiene are empty. They still need things like soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and cleaning supplies."
The donations collected at McCaffrey's will be distributed by the Wrightstown Food Cupboard, which is a joint mission of Ancand hor Presbyterian, Penns Park United Methodist, St. Mark's Orthodox Church and Wrightstown Friends Meeting.
"This is fantastic," said Mitch McIntire, who has run the cupboard for three decades. "The Rotary and the community always come through for us. The people in this area and the Council Rock community are fantastically generous. We've been doing this for 30 years, and we have never taken any government assistance."
In addition to receiving donations through the Rotary, school, and community organizations, the cupboard is supported by local businesses, including Zook's Fresh Poultry at the Newtown Farmers Market, which donates thousands of dollars worth of food to the cupboard every year.
For three decades, the food cupboard has operated out of the Penns Park United Methodist Church at 2394 Second Street Pike in Wrightstown, offering a helping hand to individuals and families who need a hand up.
The food cupboard operates year-round, distributing food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and the Fourth of July. It is always in need of pasta sauce (jars), coffee, tea, juice, peanut butter and jelly in addition to personal products, including shampoo, toothpaste, Pampers, and paper towels.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Newtown Rotary Club will be holding its annual fall pancake breakfast on Sunday to benefit the Newtown American Legion and the Newtown Memorial Day Parade.
The breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. to noon at American Legion Post 440, 41 Linden Avenue, Newtown. The cost is $12 per person, $5 for children five and under, and $30 for a family.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Newtown Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.