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Parish Cupboard to use annual fundraiser as thermometer for giving

Date: 3/18/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Soup kitchens and food pantries are seeing sizeable influxes in aid requests during this tumultuous economy but as the need rises, organizers are wondering if the donations will increase as well.

Candy Boucher, executive director of the Parish Cupboard on Main Street, told Reminder Publications that given the current economy she is hoping for the best during the annual spring giving campaign. She noted that the Parish Cupboard has raised between $20,000 and $60,000 during the two-month giving campaign in March and April.

"This is one of those years where nobody knows what to expect," Boucher said. "We don't want to put expectations on the community. I anticipate that folks will be as generous as they can be."

She noted that local churches and service groups will be organizing a CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk on May 17 to aid her organization.

Twenty-five percent of the funds raised at the walk will be donated to the Parish Cupboard. The remaining funds will go to Church World Services, an organization that provides humanitarian aid to people in over 75 countries.

"We like to feed the world but those at home as well," Sue O'Hare, treasurer for the CROP Walk, said. "People need to realize how lucky they are, not just because people are suffering throughout the world but right here."

Diana Forfa, coordinator for West Springfield walk, explained that the CROP Hunger Walk was moved from the fall to the spring because of the overabundance of autumn fundraisers.

She noted that $11,309 was raised from last year's walk.

Boucher explained that the annual spring giving campaign asks donors to give monetary donations, as opposed to food, to help with overall expenses.

"Perhaps people are cutting back on some charitable giving [but] we're still seeing generous gifts coming in and we look forward to the fundraising campaign as a thermometer of giving [during this economic crisis]," she said.

Monetary donations for the Parish Cupboard's annual spring giving campaign can be mailed to 1023 Main St., West Springfield, MA 01089.

For more information about the CROP Hunger Walk, contact O'Hare at 737-4786 ext. 10 or Forfa at 734-7667.