Food Bank is Ready to Serve Marlborough Residents
By Shari L. Covino

The Town of Marlborough has a Food Bank. Like many other towns, Marlborough is now on the record as providing its residents with a long awaited donation and collection food sharing service. The Food Bank, with its ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Tuesday, December 6, will officially open its doors on Tuesday, December 13. Located at 3 Wilenger Drive in Marlborough, the facility is ready to serve Town residents, thanks to Linda Cherry, Chairperson of the Senior and Social Services Study Committee.

In April 2005 a committee was formed to include a 9-person group made up of citizens who researched and evaluated Town residents’ needs in the community. A report was provided to the Board of Selectmen on the results obtained from the extensive work. After much research, a Food Bank became a top priority. Linda Cherry was instrumental in organizing the most critical information pertinent to the Town’s needs, after which she developed a plan to begin the project. There are many people in Marlborough who need support. They may be unemployed, underemployed, or ill, and unable to meet their weekly food shopping requirements. The Food Bank is designed as a convenient way for these residents to meet their food needs on a regular basis.

Linda and the committee went to great lengths to provide all the essentials necessary for a complete food sharing facility. They recently acquired a refrigerator and are expecting a freezer in the near future. The committee has been able to obtain shelving and bookcases from the school project, and food donations were provided from many residents. Volunteers were also on hand to contribute their time and efforts.

“I’ve been able to acquire a freezer from another business in town who will no longer need it,” Old furniture came from the RHAM school project and Marlborough Bakery donated tables and chairs throughout,” Linda said. “The Bakery will also donate unsold baked bread on a weekly basis.”

“One of the things I learned from this project was that I was able to tap into different resources within the community,” Linda said. “There is a tremendous number of resources that are available. Thirty-six people have come forward to assist clients in food selection and they worked hard at making the facility feel comfortable and welcoming,” she added.

The outcome has resulted in providing the Town with a Food Bank accessible to residents on an ongoing basis.

The Food Bank hours are Tuesdays, 10am – 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Go to the Town’s website at http://www.marlboroughct.com for information on guidelines for the facility.

Pictured: Linda Cherry stands next to shelving at Marlborough’s new Food Bank facility, ready to open its doors on December 13. Click picture to enlarge.
 

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