Centerboard exceeds food drive goal

LYNN – When Boston Medical HealthNet Plan employees began to brainstorm ideas for a company-wide service project, Lynn native Michael Greene immediately thought of his hometown, and his idea will help 77 homeless families.”There was a proposal to have a food drive,” he said. “I don’t really know Boston, but as a Lynn native, I know the area and what it needs.”Greene said he told his colleagues that he knew a community just outside Boston where he thought they could do some good and the nonprofit health care provider signed on to help. Julie Nations, community relations and outreach director for the nonprofit, said they launched the campaign July 31 at three different sites, Boston, Springfield and New Bedford.”We collected over 1,500 items,” she said.Centerboard’s Asset Building Outreach Coordinator Sharon Fosbury said she invited homeless families in the non-profit’s Scattered Sites program to apply to be a part of the drive.”We had 77 families apply,” she said.Fosbury said volunteers took the applications, which listed family members, ages and dietary needs, and they essentially went shopping, packing groceries for specific families. Volunteers from both Centerboard and the health plan filled bags Wednesday under the watchful eye of Sunny, the health plan’s mascot.But food was not the only items going into the grocery bags. Nations said everyone liked the idea of a food drive but thought they could do more, then she learned about the center’s reading program. Centerboard promotes reading by giving away books to children at its City Hall Square location as well as in several elementary schools throughout the city. In keeping with that trend Nations said, “Every family with kids will also get age appropriate books.”Fosbury said each family also received a first-aid kit as well.Both Nations and Fosbury said they were very happy with how the joint venture turned out, particularly since this was the first effort.”It surpassed everyone’s expectations,” Fosbury said. “We have 77 families, so I was hoping for 770 items, and we doubled that.”Fosbury said the extra food would help other families in need.Nations said she expects the food drive to be an annual event and she plans for the health plan to be a presence at Centerboard’s fall gala.”We’re family now,” she said.Greene said the fact that he could give back to his community made it special for him.”It was really exciting to come back like this,” said the Lynn Tech graduate. “My dad still lives down the street, I have aunts and uncles here ? and to be able to really do something, to help where I grew up, it’s special.”