By Bella Caggiano

Due to COVID-19, the 53nd Annual Walk for Hunger, a one-day annual fundraiser to alleviate hunger in Massachusetts, has been altered for a second year. This year, the event will be a virtual walk instead of a group, one-day event that was supposed to take place Sunday, May 2.

Norwood’s team is committed to participate in the event and are currently receiving monetary donations and advocate on behalf of low-income neighbors. A gift will help many residents impacted by the virus struggling to put food on their tables.

Every year, Project Bread conducts the Walk for Hunger in order to assist the one in 11 households and one in nine children in Massachusetts who aren’t always sure where their next meal is coming from.

Due to the Coronavirus, food pantries have experienced a surge in activity with very low inventory. Widespread unemployment for months to come is likely to increase demands.

To make monetary donations to the food pantry, send a check to:

Ecumenical Community Food Pantry of Norwood, Inc.

150 Chapel Street

Norwood, MA 02062

To make a donation towards the Walk For Hunger, visit www.norwoodfood pantry.org, look for ‘Search to Donate,’ on Norwood’s Virtual Walker page.

The Ecumenical Community Food Pantry of Norwood services Norwood and Westwood residents and is located at 150 Chapel St., in the Grace Episcopal Church. It is open regular hours for shopping, 8-11:40 a.m. In order to comply with CDC social distancing safety guidelines, that have altered their procedures with a “Grab n’ Go’ system in their parking lot.  Volunteers will receive orders for refrigerated and frozen food items, and provide clients with their “Grab n’ Go” box of basic canned and boxed items. For those not able to visit the Pantry, they can call 781-291-3663 to request a temporary home delivery.

It is recommended that clients visit the Food Pantry Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/NorwoodFoodPantry/) to obtain updated information before they visit on Saturday.