Community invited to 'Stuff the Bus'

EXETER — The Exeter Rotary Club is ready for its third encore of the successful “Stuff the Bus” Food Drive to benefit the food pantry at The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Community Assistance Center on Saturday, April 11 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Southern District YMCA Camp Lincoln and First Student Bus Company of Salem have donated two mini-buses and a full-size school bus that will be placed in front of three area grocery stores for the day.

Customers of Market Basket and Shaw’s of Stratham and Hannaford of Exeter are asked to help fill the buses with canned tuna, peanut butter, orange juice, granola bars, pasta sauce, laundry detergent and personal care items. The three stores have also put together pre-packed bags of donations requested by the pantry to make donating extra easy for their customers. This year’s event will also have a “green” side. Because the pantry will be transitioning away from paper and plastic bags on June 1, all store packed donations will be placed in reusable cloth bags which will also be donated to the pantry after the event.

“Believe it or not, we are already thinking about summer.” said Molly Zirillo, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director. “Children that normally depend on school breakfasts and lunches will be at home for the summer months and our clients will need to come to the pantry more often to meet their family’s increased needs.”

Volunteers including Rotary Club members and their families, Vincentians, Rotary Interact Club members from both Exeter High School and Phillips Exeter Academy and the Youth Group from St. Michael’s Parish will keep the St. Vincent de Paul van on the move all day as it drives from store to store shuttling donated items back to the Center.

“Our last two events combined raised the equivalent of over $25,000 in food donations. The community response was inspiring and we’re hoping to recreate that same success. Our neighbors are in need and the Rotary Club is so excited to have another opportunity to help,” said Rachael MacDonnell, Rotary “Stuff the Bus” Coordinator.

“We are extremely happy to be partnering with Hannaford, Market Basket and Shaw’s,” added 2014-2015 Exeter Rotary President, Leigh Willett, “The management and staff from these stores bring so much energy and excitement to the day. They really get into the cause!” The generosity of the local grocery stores extends past just this single event when it comes to working with St. Vincent de Paul. Market Basket is helpful on price when the pantry needs to supplement its donations with more supplies. Hannaford donates meats, pastries, breads and fresh produce Monday through Friday, every week. Since 2007 Shaw’s has helped store the dozens of turkeys the pantry receives for the holidays for its clients.

For more information about The Exeter Rotary “Stuff the Bus” Food Drive, or to learn how you can get involved, contact Rachael MacDonnell, “Stuff the Bus” Coordinator at 603-828-8936 or rmacdonnell@optimabank.com.