GLCF Site Visit 2021: PACH Outreach
Pepperell, Mass. – Continuing our Greater Lowell site visits, GLCF stopped by PACH Outreach. This volunteer-staffed, community-based nonprofit organization provides short-term assistance to Pepperell and Dunstable residents during difficult times.
PACH Outreach’s Robin Crocker and Carolyn DiCenzo gave a tour of their facility and shared PACH’s mission of neighbors helping neighbors. PACH Outreach provides food, personal care items, referrals, and other needed resources to help their clients get back on their feet. PACH Outreach serves scores of families and individuals each year, including many seniors, veterans, and disabled residents.
GLCF provided grant funding during the pandemic from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for PACH Outreach to buy disinfectant cleaners in bulk quantities and immediately get these cleaners and masks into the hands of both their shopping and shut-in clients. As a result, every household received a package of disinfectant wipes, masks, and laundry detergent.
From PACH Outreach:
“Buying in bulk, we were able to get items such as wipes which clients could not readily find. We reinforced the messages about the importance of masks, surface cleaners, and overall cleaning in fighting disease by providing these tools to clients who have limited budgets for such items. And these supplies were made available just before the Thanksgiving holiday, a potentially high-risk time for catching COVID-19. Since our main charter is supplying food, we could not have been able to provide these supplies to all our clients without the funding received from GLCF.”
GLCF enjoyed touring the immaculately organized space and learning what makes them unique: providing birthday boxes to local children in need, growing vegetables in their garden (a board member’s project!), a library, and a wonderful community spirit! We are grateful to begin visiting our nonprofit partners and seeing the many ways they are making a solid impact in the community.
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