The Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield partnered with several local organizations and businesses to provide food and other necessities to local families this holiday season following another challenging year in the COVID-19 pandemic. Requests for assistance over the holidays began arriving at the club as early as mid- October, and club staff looked to local partners to help provide both food security and holiday assistance to families.
Beginning with Thanksgiving week in November, the clubs worked with Early Harvest Diner in Wakefield who graciously provided over 500 pre-Thanksgiving meals and over 1300 pounds of food to Club families.
“We have partnered up for years now with the Boys & Girls Clubs to make sure everyone has a nice warm meal at Thanksgiving. We truly try to do what it takes to show the community we are here for one another,” said Red Rami of Early Harvest of their commitment to supporting families over the holidays.
Following the Thanksgiving meal distribution, the Boys & Girls Clubs worked alongside The Wakefield Food Pantry and generous sponsor StonehamBank to assemble over 40 meal assistance kits and 800 pounds of food to distribute to local families in need.
“We are incredibly grateful to our local partners for stepping up to make sure that families had all the food and supplies they needed this holiday season. In addition to the holiday meal assistance provided, we are also thankful to work with supportive local businesses and groups all year long to ensure children are provided with healthy snacks and never have to worry about going without. It truly does ‘take a village’ and we consider ourselves lucky to be surrounded by such generous villagers,” said John Brinkman, Chief Operating Officer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield.
This school year the Boys & Girls Clubs has teamed up with both Shaws in Wakefield and The Food Drive in Melrose to provide healthy food for the children in its after school programs, allowing hundreds of kids within the Stoneham and Wakefield communities to complete their school day with a nutritious snack.
“The Food Drive’s partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield is important to us because our organizations share the goal of improving the lives of people in our own neighborhoods who need us most. The Boys & Girls Clubs give young people an equal opportunity to reach their full potential, a mission that aligns beautifully with our work to provide equitable food access for everyone in our community. Since good nutrition is the foundation for development, The Food Drive is thrilled to deliver healthy snacks for the children in the Boys & Girls Clubs after school programs. And we are grateful to join our efforts with the Boys & Girls Clubs to improve our communities through hands-on, positive, collaborative action,” said Jana Gimenez, Food Drive Founder and Board President.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield would like to thank all of the individuals, organizations and businesses who helped to support its mission to do whatever it takes to support local children and families this holiday.
To donate to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham and Wakefield to support local children and families, visit BGCWakefield.org or BGCStoneham.org.
