BELLOWS FALLS — How do you celebrate an organization you wish didn't have to exist?
That was the thinking of the folks at Our Place Drop-in Center (OP), which is observing its 20th year of operation with special activities Thursday, Sept. 13, at the center on Island Street.
As part of this year's annual fiesta to thank its supporters and recognize its volunteers, the food pantry and daytime shelter is hosting a roundtable at 3:30 p.m. that will bring together food providers from the bi-state area to share success stories and ways of doing their work better.
“Unfortunately, we are a long way from being able to close the doors on all the free food sources in our area,” lamented OP board president John Bohannon. “But we wanted to bring together all these good people to explore new ways of meeting the needs of so many folks who face food insecurity every day.”
Volunteers from food shelfs and meal sites, as well as food donors such as farms, groceries, and bakeries, have been invited. John Sayles, CEO of the Vermont Foodbank, will also attend. The center hopes that local, state, and federal government officials who have been invited will also be on hand to hear the needs.
Following the roundtable, the attendees will join other members of the community to share a meal and celebratory activities, including recognition of volunteers, staff and donors, and the drawing for OP's annual 50/50 raffle.
Our Place was founded in 1992 by Donna Primrose, who saw a need and set out to meet it. The first site was located in the former police station on Canal Street and offered a pot of soup or stew every lunch time, as well as whatever non-perishable food Primrose could gather to put on the shelves in the former lock-up. This June, Our Place served 1,434 breakfasts, lunches and to-go meals, an average of 65 a day, plus 158 families representing 511 people received food from the pantry or it was delivered to shut-ins.
The mission of Our Place is to offer help with food and other essential needs in a nonjudgmental, safe, and respectful atmosphere. It serves families in the greater Rockingham and surrounding areas, as well as Walpole and North Walpole, N.H.
Information is available at 802-463-2217, ourplace@sover.net, www.ourplacevt.org or on Facebook.