While not directly working here under our employer, Mill City Grows, one of our great managers splits her time with us and the public school system, depending on funding...Since the pandemic began, she has been full time at the public schools and manages a twice a month food pantry for anyone in need, no questions asked. She also ran a three school commercial kitchen operation to provide prepared meals to school children at home...some weeks they made 40,000 meals!!

Each week, she polls us all to find volunteers..My shift was this past Tuesday. In 90 degree temps, we worked to pack up frozen food inside the school gym, and once the drive line began, pallet lifters came to drive the food outside. It was added to USDA food boxes with contents for one family per box.

Our local Boston TV station was there as well as they are focusing today on food distribution in our area today as "Hunger Action Day".

How great a workplace that encourages us to do this work not just in our own org but for others...

I love my job and my employer.

Have a look at my hometown city and the work being done in the schools. Maggie, our wonderful Farm to School manager is a grad of Harvard's Divinity School. She and her husband live in Cambridge (on campus as dorm surpervisors) but the commute worried me..I wasn't sure how long she could deal with the commute and nonprofit pay....We have talked about it a few times and each time she tells me...while she struggled, she loves the work so much right now that she is in. We both joined the org within weeks of each other and I am so happy to have her with us still, stronger than ever. And she can talk to TV reporters!

Lowell Public Schools Food Pantry

Thank you to WTFers who have been so generous in the past..You know who you are. This is the work you support...Thank you!