Community partnerships feed food bank mission

AT TIMES, IT CAN feel overwhelming to reflect on the many crises occurring around the world. While we can’t solve them all, we can solve the crisis of food insecurity in our own backyard.

In the 40 years since the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ founding and during the last 17 years as its executive director, I’ve witnessed state and federal govern-

LEGACY BUSINESS ments, as well as the community, rally to the cause. This was most evident during the recent spike in food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the Great Recession (December 2007 through 2009). In both cases, it took time for government to enact policies and increase funding to provide critical relief to households, businesses, and municipalities.

Vocational school grads among shop’s mainstays

By JANICE B EETLE

Special to The Republican

Great customer service and a special guarantee on workmanship for the life of a car fueled the popularity and growth of Rick’s Auto Body in Springfield over the years.

But it was a sharp wit that also proved a stellar marketing tool for Raymond “Rick” Recor. The owner’s warranty and wordsmithing began in the mid-1990s. Recor was working

In both cases, our community partners responded immediately, providing vital food assistance. Entire communities stepped up and acted, including donors of funds and food, volunteers and our network of 160-plus local nonprofit and faith-based food pantries and meal sites.

For 40 years, community partnerships have demonstrated the essential role we all play in solving food insecu-

SUCCESS STORIES Crave is dream turned reality

rity when households face this grim and unjust reality. For many, this reality is temporary, for others it is chronic.

Over the years, I’ve had some deep, personal conversations about why and how

By E LIZABETH L AFOND- C OPPEZ Special to The Republican

Ortiz, owner of Crave.

Mary Kay Wydra

Johnny Smith, of Springfield, has a good time at the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival kickoff on Aug. 12, 2022. The festival last year drew thousands of visitors to downtown Springfield over the course of two days in mid-August.