BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — “You can always do some good somewhere in the world and this is one way to do it,” Steven Hall, a junior at Nichols School said.
On Saturday, Western New Yorkers decided to give back.
“It’s a really good feeling to be able to help our community and just be able to be agile and nimble and respond to the needs as they arise," India Walton, Executive Director of Fruit Belt Community Land Trust said.
Nichols School and #FeedHamburg held food drives on Saturday for people in need in their area.
“We’ve been out here for a couple hours and we’re collecting any preserved goods, cereals, cans, pastas, anything that helps out,” Hall said.
“The need is greater than it ever has been before. There are a lot of people that are unemployed that aren’t getting the checks they were before," Erie County Legislator for the 9th district John Gilmour said.
So both organizations called upon local residents to help make a difference.
“Today’s been a huge success. We got hundreds and hundreds of donations from evening, morning, until now and their continuing to come in," Gilmour said. "It’s just been a really successful day.”
India Walton in Buffalo’s Furit Belt neighborhood actually delivered some food pantry items to people in need in her neighborhood on Saturday.
"There’s been lots of pop up pantries, but folks in our neighborhood, a lot of them are housebound and seniors so we decided instead of asking them to come to us, we would come to them,” she said.
Walton said she delivered more than 40 bags worth of fresh produce and cleaning supplies for the people in the Fruit Belt district.
“We’re just grateful for the community's response and for chipping in and doing everything that they did today,” Gilmour said.
“Together we can beat this” Walton adds.
