SMITHFIELD – A Sept. 27 food drive at the Anderson-Winfield Funeral Home on Church Street was inspirational, said Human Services Director Vin Zibelli, replenishing the town’s food bank to feed people in need.
The drive held in the big rainstorm, organized by Councilors Tom Winfield and John Tassoni, resulted in 1,200 items donated and another $1,750 in cash donations, totals “unheard of” in that type of weather, said Zibelli.
He credited various people for helping out, including DPW Director Gene Allen, the Fire and Police Departments, and Mike Austin, of Cider & Spice Donut Truck, for donating the free donuts served in pouring rain.
“This one brought the best of the best of Smithfield out,” Zibelli told the Town Council, adding that the effort speaks to the quality of Smithfield’s residents and leadership.
Donations included pasta, sauce, peanut butter, soup, and much more.
The need continues to grow, according to Zibelli, and in September alone, the food pantry served more than 230 Smithfield residents, up from 142 in June.
This successful donation drive represents both an exciting achievement and a sad state of affairs, as Zibelli explained it, and it will become even more important to stay on top of the station as the holidays and winter approach and more people are faced with uncertainty over SNAP benefits or Medicaid.
“Every donation helps us continue providing food and support to our neighbors,” he said.
“Thank you to everyone who helped make this food drive such a success. Smithfield truly comes together when our neighbors need us most,” said Zibelli.
This is an example of what the town can do, said Zibelli, “and more than ever, it’s needed.”
If the current trends continue, he emphasized, they won’t hav enough food to get through the winter.
He highlighted the upcoming Scouting for Food Drive on Nov. 7, urging residents to participate by leaving food out for scouts to collect to contribute to the six food pantries in town. That effort was especially needed during last year’s SNAP benefit interruption late in the year, he said.
Residents should avoid contributing expired items, and the “use by” date is the most important to keep an eye on.
The town has developed relationships with various markets and food pantries, and are networking with various entities and residents to make sure they know how to help, said Zibelli. One resident scours Stop & Shop fliers for deals or to earn gas points, he said, and finds that he saves more on gas than he ends up spending on items to donate.
