By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

The Goffstown Network Food Pantry at St. Matthew’s Church will host a food drive on Saturday, Sept. 11, to turn a day of national mourning into a day of giving.

“We want to take the negative aspect of what Sept. 11 has become and give it a more positive spin to aid the pantry,” said George Welch, who is in charge of the pantry’s operations.

The idea for the drive came from pantry volunteer Bill Exner at the an annual meeting for pantry workers, said Welch.

The drive and simultaneous coffee hour at St. Matthew’s Church will begin around 11:30 a.m. and end around 1 p.m.

Welch said he hopes the pantry will receive donations in the form of bags of food from area residents, though financial donations can be accepted in the form of a check.

“Pretty much, the things you would feed your family would be the things you would want to bring,” he said.

He said canned vegetables, toiletries and pasta are among the items that the pantry needs.

“If a number of families bring one bag (apiece), we should get a good amount,” he said. “It’s like the saying – ‘Many hands make light work.’”

In mid-July, Welch reported problems for the pantry, resulting from too much demand and too little supply. Although the pantry had been receiving the same amount of food that it typically does at that time of year, he said there had been a significant rise in the number of people using the pantry.

Welch said there has been an increase in donations since mid-July. However, the number of people using the pantry has also risen.

“We are pretty much still in need of everything,” he said. “The cupboard has become somewhat bare.”

Welch said other local churches might also participate in the event, and that people interested in volunteering for the food drive can leave a message for the pantry at 497-3433.