Daily Bread gets grant

for fresh fruit-veggies

PUTNAM — The Daily Bread Food Pantry has much to celebrate during this final month of 2014, as the generosity of local residents and community businesses restock shelves quickly emptied during the holiday season.

Earlier, in November, Rachael Arcand, grant writer for Interfaith Human Services of Putnam, learned that the organization had, once again, been approved for a $500 grant from Stop & Shop, (in gift cards) to be used toward the food pantry’s Nourishing Neighbors program.

During the growing season, Daily Bread is able to accept and distribute fresh fruits and vegetables, but unfortunately the pantry is unable to do so on the same level during the winter months. The Stop & Shop grant will be used to assist in the continuance of the Nourishing Neighbors program, which allows Daily Bread to provide coupons to clients, redeemable at local grocery stores, for both fresh and frozen produce, modeled after the highly successful milk coupon program. Recipients of these coupons will have the convenience of greater choice in produce, and in addition, will have wholesome, more nutritional options as they strive to maintain a healthy diet.

The donation request from Arcand noted Daily Bread’s continuing efforts to provide more nutritious options for clients, “such as the fresh fruit/vegetable coupons versus the canned fruit/vegetable option.” She also highlighted the non-profit’s cooperation with local farmers and the farmers’ market.

Arcand said, “the positive responses we are receiving from clients thanking us for the option to shop in a way they usually can’t afford.”

The letter accompanying the gift cards, from Judi Palmer, Stop & Shop’s Director of Marketing & External Communications, said, “We applaud the work done by your organization and extend our best wishes for much continued success.”

Donation requests at Stop & Shop for requests of less than $1,000 are reviewed on a rolling basis. This is the second year that Stop & Shop has provided Daily Bread with this grant. Arcand said that she is grateful for the continued support.