LETTER: Food drive Nov.1-2 will help bolster supplies as need grows
October 25, 2025 | By Carol BaitzUpdate | Saturday, Nov. 1
The first day of the weekend food drive collected six carloads of donated food from the Waterbury Village Market and Shaw’s. Volunteers will be at the stores on Sunday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to oversee the collection. The stores also have collection bins where shoppers can leave donated purchases anytime.
Also this week, Waterbury Common Market announced new Saturday hours of 10 a.m. to noon. That’s in addition to Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon, and Wednesdays 3-5 p.m. Contact: wafsmainstreet@gmail.com or 802-244-1561.
The Duxbury Elf Shelf is open Thursdays and Fridays, 6:30-10 a.m. It does not have a website, but director Ruth Haskins may be reached by email at ruth_haskins@comcast.net or by phone (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) at 802-371-9906.
Many thanks to Rob Hofmann for sharing some photos from Saturday’s drive.
Food drive volunteer and organizer Carol Baitz loads up donations to drop off at the Waterbury Common Market. Photos by Rob Hofmann
Original letter posted Oct. 25
To the Community:
With the government shutdown, many of our community members will be left without SNAP benefits starting November 1. According to state Rep. Theresa Wood, the state government is working to pass emergency funding, but the earliest that funding would be available is mid-November.
I am proposing an emergency food drive for our local food pantries. My thoughts are to set up donation tables in front of Shaw’s and the Village Market on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1-2.
We can ask patrons to consider purchasing one extra item for donation before they shop and collect those items as they leave. If you would be interested in helping staff a donation table for an hour (or more) on either of these days between 9 a.m. and noon, please email me at cbaitz64@gmail.com.
If you are unable to volunteer, I hope you might consider making a food or monetary donation.
All donations will go to the Waterbury Common Market and the Duxbury Elf Food Shelf. I just spoke with Ruth Haskins from the Duxbury Elf Food Shelf and she expressed her concern that food insecurity will become ever-increasing as more safety net programs are scaled back or eliminated.
If you think that this idea of emergency food drives is a good idea and would like to see them implemented on a more regular basis, please let the volunteers know when you drop off your donation next weekend.
Think globally, act locally! Let’s support our neighbors, one small act of kindness at a time.
As always, your neighbor and friend,
Carol Baitz
Waterbury