Methuen Rotary Club  donated over 2500 pounds of non-perishable  food to very worthy non profits during the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Rotary Club  motto is “Service Above Self” and conveys the humanitarian spirit of the organization’s more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize  Rotary worldwide spirit.  Each of the following  three food banks got donations. Neighbors In Need runs 13 food pantries in the Merrimack Valley, 2 of which are in Methuen. They provide healthy food including fresh produce, meat, dairy and other staples to 900 families.  Additionally, they  address diaper needs by running the only open-to-the public Diaper Pantry in Greater Lawrence. Neighbor’s In Need  serves 275 families, including almost 400 children every month by providing diapers, wipes and other infant supplies.  The Methuen YMCA along with the Merrimack Valley YMCA is providing grab and go meals and have opened  a food pantry. Through a partnership with the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, they  purchase food at low cost from Food Bank, supplemented with donations, in order to provide bags of food to children and their families on weekends. Families are invited to choose the food that they prefer from the healthy options that are available.  Methuen Cares Center is collecting non – perishable food, school supplies, paper products  and PPE supplies.   Now open from 10am-6pm Mon-Fri at the Loop (in the prior Avenue location) to centralize the collection of donations from anyone who can donate to help others.  The Methuen Cares Center will also be making calls to residents to check in and see how they  can help. If you need help please call 978-609-1866.  For more information please refer to the websites listed.

www.needfood.org, www.cityofmethuen.net  www.mvymca.org