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Photo by Nicole Wietrak. First Parish of Westwood's Pastor JT Hills holds ups a sign announcing his latest count of food items donated by the community for the church's 1000-item Lenten food drive.
4-09-2023 12:12am
First Parish of Westwood Surpasses 1000-Item Donation Goal; Eddie's Food Drive in Full Swing
Darlene Cancell
Editor
After Pastor JT Hills of the First Parish of Westwood set an Easter goal in March this year of collecting one thousand food items in a Lent inspired donation drive to support the community's food insecure, the pastor was told by some that it was too lofty a goal. However, on March 28th, about half-way through the six-week food drive, that goal had been met and surpassed.
Pastor Hills then set a new goal of collecting 1,500 food items by Easter. With a donated food item count of 1,463 by Tuesday, April 5th, and just an additional 37 items needed, the new goal also looks to be well within reach.
For the week of April 9th, the church is collecting all food items, with a special focus on what local pantries have requested as most in need: spaghetti sauce, beef stew, hash, canned fruit (15 oz. size), cereal, black tea, cans of white tuna, packaged ramen noodles, peanut butter, jelly, and cleaning products. Community members are invited to drop by donations at the church when they visit for Easter service or in the half hour before or after service.
Concurrently with the First Parish Food Drive, the annual Eddie's Food Drive launched on March 27th and runs through April 15th. In honor of Eddie Thomson, who passed away at age 6 on November 17, 2017, the annual food drive may be one of the largest contributors to the Westwood Food Pantry each year. Donations are being collected at twelve locations around town.
