Gifts of Love Is In 'Critical Need' of These Items. Can You Help?

Here's a little known fact about the Gifts of Love food pantry in Avon.

"As the weather gets warmer, food donations tend to go down," said Carolyn McGrattan, an Avon resident and the marketing director for the Avon non-profit organization that helps feed many struggling families in the Farmington Valley and Greater Hartford area.

So, how can you help?

"We're in critical need of canned fruits and vegetables," McGrattan said.

Food donations to the Gifts of Love food pantry are also important because some of it goes into the backpacks for the organization's Weekend Backpack Program. The program sends students who are signed up and on Free and Reduced Lunch home with food for the weekends.

"The children with Free and Reduced Lunch don't go home with full backpacks on Fridays" as a result of food shortages in the pantry, according to McGrattan.

If you think you can help, you can drop off donations at Gifts of Love at 35 East Main St.