Pack the Porch – Call to Action! Roger Odoardi Photo via Carmyarmyofme With a lingering down-turned economy, and the summer in full swing, food pantry shelves are way down on the Seacoast. Summer is an especially difficult time for struggling families, especially those with school-age children. According to the Seacoast Food Pantry, need is up more than 20% from last year. Lack of access to nutritious food can have serious consequences for a child’s development. Rye teacher Jacquie DeFreze is doing something about it. Three years ago, in an effort to pick up some of the slack and restock the pantries’ shelves, DeFreze started Pack the Porch – an ongoing food drive based right on the farmer’s porch of DeFreze’s Greenland home. Donors are invited to drop of non-perishables and clothing, or to schedule a pickup. “People tend to think about making Food Pantry donations around the holidays, but there is a huge need in the summer,” says DeFreze, “Most of the families that come to a pantry have their children in the free breakfast and lunch program through their school, so summers are hard for them.” Jacquie is a friend of Blue Water Mortgage through Rye Little League where she works closely with partner Derek Malila. When Derek told us what Jacquie was trying to do, everyone in our office pitched in to Pack the Porch. We’re asking you to do the same. For those who want to help, these items are always needed: Peanut Butter and Jelly Cold Cereal: low sugar Soups: Chunky with meat 100% Fruit Juice Canned Fruit: no sugar added or low sugar Condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayo, salad dressings Rice: brown/white/boxed Healthy Snacks Oil: canola/vegetable/olive Beans: dry and canned Oatmeal Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate Laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, deodorant Toilet Paper, tissues, paper towels Sun Block Denture adhesive and cleaner Tuna Baking supplies Powdered milk and shelf milk Pancake mix Flour, sugar, sugar substitute The drive runs from August 12-19. Please drop donations at 502 Portsmouth Ave Greenland NH 03840 or email Jacquie for a pickup. Support Jacquie if you can, or donate to your local pantry. Let’s show everyone that the Seacoast takes care of their own. Roger Odoardi Roger is an owner and licensed Loan Officer at Blue Water Mortgage. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore School of Business and has been a leader in the mortgage industry for over 20 years. Roger has personally originated over 2500 residential loans and is considered to be in the top 1% of NH Loan Officers by leading national lender United Wholesale Mortgage.
