Roche Bros. workers help Natick Service Council ready expanded ... - MetroWest Daily News

Roche Bros. workers help Natick Service Council ready expanded ... - MetroWest Daily News

Brian Benson Daily News Staff @bbensonMWDN

NATICK - As the Natick Service Council prepares to open its expanded food pantry, it turned to experts for help assembling shelves and stocking food.

On Monday, workers from supermarket chain Roche Bros. visited the council to lend a hand as the larger pantry prepares to open next month.

"It’s a great opportunity for us to help out and give back," said Dave Campo, a grocery merchandiser for the company, which has a store in Natick.

Roche Bros. donated shelving from its closed Burlington store to help the pantry expand. The council works with Lovin’ Spoonfuls, an organization that collects excess food from grocery stores such as Roche Bros., farms and elsewhere and distributes it to organizations that help the needy.

The service council's pantry assists about 200 families per month with food. The expansion allows the pantry to triple in size.

"Our long-term goal is to be able to serve more families," said Kelsey Hampton, the council's director of food pantry and volunteer services.

The cost of living is rising and some families have to choose between paying for food, heat and rent, said council Executive Director Greg Tutuny.

The council raised about $175,000 for the project, which also includes a new back entrance and an expanded parking lot. The council is sharing costs for the parking lot with the Natick Housing Authority, which occupies part of the Webster and Cottage streets building that also houses the council.

Hampton praised Roche Bros. for its donations as well as advice on how to arrange and store products.

"Roche Bros has been an amazing resource through this process," she said.

The expanded pantry will also improve the shopping experience. Clients, who have had to tell volunteers what items they want, will be able to walk the aisles much as they would at a grocery store, Tutuny said.

"I can't wait for it to open," he said.

Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.