The East Lyme and Old Lyme police departments' mission is to protect and serve but this weekend their aim is to help local families serve up a holiday meal.
Donations are especially critical this season as community needs to continue to grow. In the first eight months of 2011, local food pantries report there was a 35 percent increase in emergency food deliveries—and that was before Superstorm Sandy cleared out everyone's refrigerators.
The Old Lyme Town Police and Resident State Trooper will be conducting a Holiday food drive at the Old Lyme Shopping Center on Halls Road this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All food donated will be forwarded to the Lymes Youth Service Bureau and Lymes Senior Center.
Non-Perishables can also be left at the Old Lyme Police Department, 294 Shore Road, anytime between November 12 and November 19.
Meanwhile in East Lyme, Stop & Shop and the East Lyme Police Explorers have joined forces to host a food drive at the East Lyme Super Stop & Shop, 248 Flanders Road, this Saturday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Residents who have access to nonperishable food, frozen turkeys, household items and/or monetary donations are asked to donate to help feed the hungry in the East Lyme/Niantic and Salem areas.
All donations will go to Care & Share of East Lyme, an all-volunteer food pantry that provides food, financial and emergency support to families living in East Lyme/Niantic and Salem. Last year, the food bank was able to provide 165 local families with food and gifts during the holiday season.
