Collaborative Community Food Drives were a Huge Success!

What began as an idea to hold a food drive at the police department turned into a true collaborative effort that supported many families during the Thanksgiving holiday this year.

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on what we are grateful for and Community Affairs Officer, Brandon Normann, “knows how hard times are for the majority of people and wanted to be able to lift the burden” this season. He said, “with the increasing costs of food over the last few years I wanted to help in some way.” He reached out to Dr. Sandra Forand, Superintendent of Schools, about the police department holding a food drive. From there, a partnership to support our community grew. EPPD partnered with the EPSD to have a combined food drive that could be used to create Thanksgiving bags for our families, community members and veterans across East Providence.

Over 200 Thanksgiving bags, complete with turkeys and all the fixings were distributed throughout the city. A HUGE thank you to the East Providence Police Department who supported all aspects of the food drive by sending volunteers to help deliver the bags or by purchasing needed items.

A huge thank you to Stop and Shop and Shaw’s in East Providence, Shaws in Riverside for their generous donations of turkeys this year. Additionally, we would like to thank Rob Levine and Associates who donated a total of 50 Thanksgiving dinners to families. Thank you to the YMCA and East Providence Boys and Girls Club for their donations as well as McDonald’s/Roche Bros Market for their Thanksgiving dinners that went to the veteran’s home. There were many volunteers that helped organize non-perishable items, packed bags and delivered the bags to schools and families. We are grateful for the students at East Providence High School, and the East Providence Maintenance Department for their efforts in organization of items and delivering bags to schools. We APPRECIATE the many community members who dropped off items at the police station, schools, or called to ask what they could do to help.

Additionally, thank you to all our partners who supported our Holiday Food Bags this year! Because of their efforts, we were able to support over a hundred East Providence families. SHOUTOUT to the Rumford Lion’s Club, East Providence Stop and Shop, and We Share Hope for their generous donations! A special thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Vinhateiro for supplying food and holiday dinners to 30 families this year. They had a team of volunteers who helped to deliver the food to families. Mrs. V said they “love to brighten up the holidays” for others and we are grateful for all they do for our East Providence families!

We CAN accomplish so much when we work together! TOWNIE PRIDE never sleeps!