Whether it may be a tornado, a hurricane or even a flash flood, sometimes disasters seem to wait purposefully in the distance until showing up unannounced. Recently, it came in the form of a gas line that caught 70 homes ablaze in the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts. Whilst emergency services extinguished the flames, there was still wreckage and the dire need for supplies. This is where the #RANoHungryChild worldwide tour came in.
Emergency Rush
With the recent emergency on Carey Seekell’s mind, this Random Acts supporter teamed up with Merrimack Valley Food Bank. Operating through one of four food banks, the non-profit organization runs on the sole mission of providing nutritious food and personal care items to emergency feeding programs. These programs then pass the food on to those who are either faced with unemployment, homelessness or food scarcity. When we are caught up in the business of our lives and it is easy to acquire food from the grocery store, we do not spare a second to think about what it would be like if this luxury were gone. Food Banks such as Merrimack Valley are not only there to provide assistance when emergencies happen, but also to help us remember that the lack of necessities can be a constant worry for those who are less fortunate.
Distributing Nutrition
However, those in the Merrimack Valley area were able to rely on 3.8 million pounds of food last year with the help of the Food Distribution Program. The way this program works is that foods are obtained from the federal and state emergency food assistance programs and from other resources such as food companies, manufacturers and retailers. These contributions are nutritious, low in sodium and sugar and include fresh produce from local farmers. It is the food bank’s connections with distributors, trucking and food companies that have given them access to a wide variety of products that would otherwise not be available. Then every three days a week, a distribution is made from their warehouse through a network of more than 140 food pantries and meal programs.
Food In Pounds
Quick on her feet, Carey used the idea of placing bins with posters in front of local businesses for food collection for the Merrimack Valley Food Bank. While the range of requested donations was extensive, she mostly geared them towards children. In addition, she used funds raised from Random Acts Endure4Kindness (E4K) to make a monetary donation that bought an impressive 532 pounds of food for the charity. Thank you to our supporters’ generosity. It is always with your help that we are able to make a stand against food insecurity.
If you are feeling inspired by this act, please check out Merrimack Valley Food Bank’s website to make a donation directly or to assist as a volunteer. If you are not from the area, then there are a number of food banks found in every state that can use a helper’s hands. As always, if you have any ideas on how we can spread even more kindness into the community, let us know by contacting your Random Acts regional representative.