MEXICO — GRAMPA Food Pantry, located at the Mexico Congregational United Church of Christ, will provide Thanksgiving food supplies to eligible families that do not receive gift baskets from another pantry.

According to Susan Byam, director of the food pantry, by dropping the more traditional basket giveaway for basic grocery distribution, her organization hopes to reach more families this year by providing necessary food without duplicating food basket giveaways offered by other organizations. However, a limited number of baskets will be prepared and distributed to eligible families, if donations allow.

GRAMPA — Greater Rumford Area Ministers and Priests Association — Food Pantry, was formed in the early 1980s by Alice and Ron Ashworth. It was the first food pantry in the River Valley area.

As a member of the Good Shepherd Food-Bank, GRAMPA serves families in Mexico, Rumford, Roxbury and Byron. GRAMPA also accepts donations of food and funds from other donors to be distributed to families in those towns.

Between January and Oct. 1, GRAMPA served 613 families by distributing more than 18,765 pounds of food.

The food pantry is often confused with GRAMPS, a program that serves a hot meal every Wednesday at the Mexico Town Hall, but the programs are not affiliated.

Food pantry hours at the Mexico church are every Monday from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.  

For more information, call the church at 364-8603.