We're Lovin': Sudbury Food Pantry
Late last fall, Julia Liburdi and Anthony Summa, Spoonfuls’ Food Rescue Coordinators, headed onto the road for a typical day of food rescue that turned out to be anything but.
Working in our MetroWest region, they started by picking up yummy food from grocery stores like Whole Foods, Shaw’s, and Sudbury Farms in Sudbury. With a truck full, they headed to Sudbury Community Food Pantry to make a distribution.
“That’s where we connected not only with the pantry volunteers we see week after week but also a class of third graders,” said Julia. “It was the highlight of our day.”
The students were from Sudbury’s Peter Noyes Elementary School and had enjoyed a short walk to the pantry for a field trip. This visit was an opportunity to learn about food insecurity and how their community responds to the need for food. Led by pantry volunteer, Tom McGowan, the third graders saw firsthand how they acquired, stored, stocked, and distributed to 1,092 local families – and Anthony and Julia were involved in the learning.
“Talking to the kids about food rescue and seeing how intrigued they were was really heartwarming,” said Julia. “They all gathered around a box of produce I was holding, and one kid excitedly pointed to a package of Chinese long beans and asked ‘what’s that?’ I got to explain to these kids that we rescue all sorts of delicious and unique food, and I think they really enjoyed seeing it firsthand.” Anthony and Julia described how the opportunity we have to get good food from where it is to people who need it. Boxes of freshly rescued produce, like the one Julia mentioned, meat, and dairy from helped drive home the point.
Said pantry volunteer and board member, John Thomas, “We’re thrilled to have had these third graders visit. The Sudbury Elementary Schools’ monthly food drives contribute a sizeable portion to our inventory. We welcomed the opportunity to thank these kids and let them see firsthand how their donations are processed and combined with other items we receive from partners like Lovin’ Spoonfuls.”
Way to go, Sudbury Food Pantry and Sudbury Elementary Schools, for inspiring the next generation of hunger fighters!
Sudbury Food Pantry is one of Spoonfuls’ 160+ nonprofit partners that we distribute rescued food to. Check out our other nonprofit partners.