The following article was submitted by Gathering Change, Inc.

By Judy Bousquin

Lynnfield resident Donna Hegan decided to have a different kind of birthday party, one that had the potential to give back to the wider community. 

With that in mind, Ms. Hegan asked her friends to bring their change instead of a gift in honor of her birthday.  The monetary gifts added up to over $1,100 which Hegan generously donated to Gathering Change, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that collects spare change and then donates it back to local food pantries and social programs.

After researching where the money could be best put to use, it was decided that the ample donation would be given to the Tree of Life Food Pantry in Lynn. 

Food Pantry Serves More Than 500 Clients

The Tree of Life Food Pantry, housed in the former convent of Sacred Heart Church, has the challenge of supplying 548 clients weekly with six full bags of groceries.  The bags include produce, meat and dry goods such as canned and boxed foods. 

When Ms. Hegan visited Tree of Life to deliver the check with several Gathering Change board members, Co-Director Mike Kwiatek gave his visitors a tour of the food pantry and explained its operations.   

Donations Can Go A Long Way

According to Kwiatek, the donated money will be used to purchase items from the Greater Boston Food Bank, where pantries can purchase food for 20 cents per pound, a price many degrees lower than what they would pay for in the market.  

This food pantry, like others, is dependent on donations of money, food and volunteers' time to be able to serve their neighbors in need.  The community supporting this food pantry is a lovely example of compassion in action; neighbors helping neighbors. 

If you would like to learn more about Gathering Change, Inc. or food pantries in general, please visit www.gatheringchangeinc.org or call 617-548-5357.