Greater Boston DirectBuys Hold Holiday Food Drive

By: DirectBuy | 1 Shares 120 Reads

Lost amid all the talk of bailouts and other disturbing economic news is the effect it's had on people who are truly in need: the homeless and the hungry.

ROCKLAND, MA, December 10, 2008 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In fact, according to a survey by the Greater Boston Food Bank, food banks and food pantries in Eastern Massachusetts are experiencing a 53 percent decrease in donations over the past year. DirectBuy, in an effort to increase awareness, is holding food drives at its Greater Boston showrooms in Rockland, Shrewsbury, and Stoneham.

The food drive will begin on December 8 and run until December 31 at these showrooms. Both DirectBuy members and the general public are welcome and encouraged to bring starch (dry cereal, pasta, etc.) and canned food items. The individual DirectBuy showrooms will, in turn, distribute these goods to local food pantries via the Greater Boston Food Bank.

¡°The holidays are a great time of year but it can also be a very difficult time for some, especially in challenging economic times. Hopefully, by holding these food drives, we can help ease the burden on these food pantries and bring this issue to light for our customers and residents of Greater Boston,¡± said John Massaria, owner of DirectBuy of Boston South.

The Greater Boston Food Bank's survey also illuminated some additional disturbing trends, including:

90 percent of food pantries surveyed report an increase in the demand for their services since September 2007.
53 percent report a decrease in the amount of food donated; 38 percent report no change in demand.
47 percent report running out of food to meet that demand; 27 percent of those running out on every distribution.

Those willing to contribute canned goods and starches (e.g. dry cereal, pasta, etc.) to DirectBuy's holiday food drive can visit DirectBuy Showrooms at the following addresses:

DirectBuy of Boston South, 11A Commerce Road, Rockland, MA, 781-878-8846.
DirectBuy of Boston West, 422 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, MA, 508-842-8800.
DirectBuy of Boston North, 100A Fallon Road, Stoneham, MA, 781-438-8111.

DirectBuy franchises offer members the opportunity to enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products and accessories by purchasing wholesale, directly from the manufacturer. In addition, DirectBuy boasts a team of designers to help members with their purchases and gives them access to a roster of hand-selected contractors to expedite those projects.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor's Pass to attend an Open House in the Rockland location by contacting the showrooms listed above or visiting http://www.directbuy.com. For more information on the Greater Boston Food Bank, please visit http://www.gbfb.org.

About DirectBuy

For more than 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes ¨C from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.

About Greater Boston Food Bank

The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes approximately 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to more than 600 hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The Food Bank serves 83,000 people each week.

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