In Plymouth, the New Year marks the 60th anniversary of the South Shore Community Action Council or SSCAC. From Hull to Cape Cod and the Islands they provide a range of services to help folks in need. One of their most valued programs is the distribution of food to children, older adults and families. This originates at the Food Distribution Center at their Obery Street headquarters in Plymouth. According to Nikki Galibois, SSCAC’s Director of Planning, this program’s primary focus is equitable food access for everyone.
WATD’s Bobbi Clark has more…
Director of Planning Nikki Galibois explains how equitable food access is accomplished:
“We do that by collecting almost four hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds of fresh and non-perishable emergency food every single year and we distribute it out into the communities through a network of partnerships that we have with about 60 to 65 different organizations, food pantries, schools, Councils on Aging—and that’s basically helping about 9500 people every single year.”
Galibois says some of the food comes from individual donations…
“…but we also do have partnerships with businesses, and restaurants and grocery stores throughout the South Shore including Panera, Stop & Shop is a great partner, Whole Foods is a great partner, Sysco, The Market in the Pine Hills, Clements Market, Shaws.”
Marie daCosta Roque manages SSCAC’s Food Resources Program:
“We have volunteers here, probably about 35 volunteers that donate their time, either making the bags together, putting the food together for the Council on Ageing so it’ll be ready for them when they come and pick it up. They’re amazing. We have the best volunteers giving their time and they’re very devoted to this program.”
SSCAC collects stores and distributes nearly 425,000 pounds of food to local communities free of charge each year.
In Plymouth, Bobbi Clark, WATD News.
