St. Thomas the Apostle Church reopened its food pantry and at a recent distribution handed out 421 bags of groceries to people in need.

Vehicles line up to receive bags of groceries at one station and frozen chicken at another station. Submitted photo

Submitted

On Thursday, July 1, a blistering hot day, parishioners of St. Thomas the Apostle Church on Farmington Avenue distributed over 400 bags of groceries, plus frozen chicken and bags of apples, in four hours.

This was the ninth week for the reopened pantry, which closed as ordered in March.

The leader of the Social Action Committee, Chantal Kotyla, devised a way to set up outdoors using all the appropriate safety measures for volunteers and those in need of food. She consulted with volunteers all along the way.

Parishioners donate money and grants have been obtained to allow purchases from Foodshare. This is the parish’s little piece of assistance to the community.

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Safety at the St. Thomas the Apostle food distribution. Submitted photo

Packing the bags with a balanced diet of non perishable items. Submitted photo

The hot, tedious and necessary work of breaking down all the boxes for recycling. Submitted photo