April 24
NSCC to Host Veterans Food Drop May 13 on Danvers Campus
North Shore Community College will host a new free, bi-weekly drive-through Food Distribution Pop-Up for veterans on its Danvers campus Wednesday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to noon.
The project is an all-volunteer collaboration organized by the Veterans Northeast Outreach Center (VNOC), of Haverhill, Food4Vets through the Mass Military Support Foundation, and supported by Eagle Leasing and Shaheen Brothers Food Distributing.
The program is designed to get necessary food to area military veterans who are uncomfortable shopping at a supermarket at this time or who are running short on money to buy food. Distributions will be held, until the coronavirus pandemic has eased, at NSCC every other Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon on the college's Danvers Campus parking lot 6 near the Health Professions and Student Services building.
A similar pop-up center began this week at Northern Essex Community College, distributing over 70 boxes of food to veterans. Each box of supplies includes canned goods, non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products that should support two people for two weeks.
Veterans wishing to take part must sign up online at vneoc.org or massmilitarysupportfoundation.org, under one of the distribution sites noted on that webpage. If people don’t have internet access or have problems they can call 978-372-3626.
Gail Hewins, outreach coordinator for Veterans Northeast Outreach Center, said the Food4Vets program provides boxed food kits through the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation. Eagle Leasing donated two 40-foot storage containers to store non-perishable food kits that preregistered veterans can pick up. Shaheen Brothers Food Distributing is providing perishable items, including produce, dairy and snacks to augment the non-perishable boxes.
“When this project started at Gillette Stadium we thought there is a need locally, why not see if they would be willing to geographically expand the program. Everyone has been so wonderful, this all came about very quickly due to everyone’s interest and willingness to participate,” Hewins said.
“Food4Vets started out with the goal of providing 50,000 food boxes to veterans in New England who have limited access to food due to the Covid-19. This week they served their millionth meal. The program has really resonated and they have indicated they will continue as long as there is need,” Hewins added.
NSCC has been dedicated to serving student veterans and has been recognized as a national Military Friendly School for the last decade, which made the partnership right, said Kristine Babcock, NSCC Student Veterans Services Coordinator. “We were excited to get onboard when we were approached and look forward to contributing to this wonderful initiative.”