SOUTHWICK – The Our Community Food Pantry will be receiving additional funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program that Southwick received in August of 2016.
In 2016, the Baker-Polito Administration awarded $28 million in community development block grants to 57 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Southwick and Granville were awarded a combined grant of $900,000. The grant included funds for rehabilitation of nine units of housing, reconstructing Veterans Street, and the Our Community Food Pantry receiving a vehicle to run a mobile pantry.
The Our Community Food Pantry is receiving additional funding from the grant they received for the mobile food truck. (WNG File Photo)
According to Erica Johnson, a Principal Planner for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the food pantry was given a grant of $93,500 and there is about $13,900 in funds remaining from the CDBG program.
The Department of Housing and Community Development contract to finish the projects expired in September and Johnson sought an extension from the state in order to assure the food pantry receives the additional $13,900.
Johnson is glad that the additional money is going back to the food pantry.
“We make sure it goes to a good organization doing good work in Southwick, Granville, and Tolland,” said Johnson.
Sally Munson, Director of the Our Community Food Pantry, is pleased to be receiving the additional money.
“Now we’re getting this extra money, we’re going to be able to continue some of the programs that we’ve started,” said Munson.
One of those programs includes helping maintain the mobile food pantry that they were able to purchase through the grant.
The additional money will also allow the pantry to give their clients different options of food by having more spending money.
“We’ll be able to enhance a program,” said Munson. “We really try to meet the needs of our clients.”
The Our Community Food Pantry serves more than 3,000 people a year in the communities of Southwick, Granville, and Tolland, providing food daily to people who are in need of it.
