What is it? 

This is a year-round food drive to help stock the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Feed-a-Friend Food Pantry.

Background

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center has been helping families with their nutritional needs since the late 1980s, with the highest-volume food pantry operation in the area. In 2008 the Center produced more than 76,000 meals for families and individual needs – 13,608 breakfasts and 45,570 food pantry meals, and an additional 16,890 meals in holiday baskets during November and December.

The community’s needs are increasing – in 1999, the Center provided 9,375 food pantry meals, and last year it was a record 45,570 meals. About 30% of the families who visited the food pantry at the MLKCC over the last 9 months of 2008 were brand-new. Many are families with two working parents, two or three jobs, and sometimes a college degree. Many live in communities not usually known for poverty, like Portsmouth, Jamestown, Tiverton and Little Compton. Around 70% of the food currently available at the Center’s Food Pantry is the result of food drives and local donations. 

How can you help?

Set up a long-term Food Drop Spot in your business or organization to collect needed food items and then encourage people to donate. There is no minimum or maximum time commitment–collect donations for as long as you like.

How do you get started?

Set up food collection containers using reinforced cardboard boxes or clean laundry baskets/tubs or trash barrels. Then label them with the laminated graphics we provide, identifying the container as a “Food Drop Spot” for the 365 Food Drive.

What to do with the collected food?

When the containers are full please take the food to the Center at 20 Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland Boulevard, at the Tilden Avenue entrance to the building, on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's preferable for people to drop food off, as we're limited in our ability to do pickups. However, when staff, volunteer, and vehicle availability permit it, we have been able to arrange pickup of donated items (call Bob Mastin at 842-0008 to arrange pickup).

How will people know you have a Food Drop Spot?

We publicize and list all businesses and organizations who are participating, using the same recognizable graphics to call attention to the program. We have enlisted local media companies to donate ad space and air time to help promote the program.

Who is the contact person?

Bob Mastin at Custom House Coffee is the point person to contact with questions, participation commitments, and requests for supporting materials (graphics): bobmastin@coffee.necoxmail.com; 401-842-0008.