By Kathryn Curio
The River Food Pantry

Each month The River Pantry on Darwin Street provides on average 200,000 pounds of food and 20,000 pounds of clothing to 2,600 households through the work of 600 volunteers.

You might wonder if the individual gets lost in all that activity. But if you visited The River, you would find that, along with the food and clothing, an intangible, hard-to-define “something” is also given and received.

An elderly man gives and gets a hug from his favorite volunteer.

A high school senior with blue hair says “I love your look!” to a middle-aged woman with black hair, black kohl-rimmed eyes, black lips and black dress, who laughs at the young woman’s enthusiasm for her Goth look.

A 5-year-old boy grins gleefully as a volunteer introduces him as “my new friend.”

A little girl who says “please” and “thank you” as her meal is dished out is complimented on her politeness and her Mama beams.

Hispanic customers’ eyes sparkle with amusement and appreciation when a volunteer speaks Spanish with them.

That intangible something might be called heart or love or respect. It makes The River a nice place to be, or as one woman described The River, “a priceless place.”

If you’d like to be part of The River — to get needed food and clothing, to volunteer, or to donate money — visit the website at riverfoodpantry.org or email info@riverfoodpantry.org.