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Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) Nutrition Services received a pleasant surprise recently when the Team Red, White & Blue, Oswego Chapter, showed up at OCO’s Nutrition site in Mexico with a large donation of food items for OCO’s food pantry.
Established in 2014 the mission of the Oswego Red, White, & Blue Team (RWB) is to enrich veterans’ lives by connecting them to the community through physical fitness and social activity. The team, which has more than 200 members, is comprised of veterans, active duty, and reserves. Team members also include family and friends of veterans, as well as community members wishing to give back in a meaningful and impactful way.
“We are always looking to expand our reach throughout Oswego County,” said Team RWB Oswego Community Engagement Director Caitlin Pollard. “When I began searching for ways to do so I was directed to OCO, and with all the programs they offer I knew that we could do a lot with them. When Development Coordinator Margaret Barclay told me about OCO’s Meals on Wheels program and that its food pantry was in need of food I knew we could help them out. And with several of OCO’s Meals on Wheels recipients being veterans it was a perfect fit for us!”
Pollard and her fellow team members spent the past several weeks collecting donations of non-perishable foods and personally delivered the food to OCO’s nutrition site in Mexico. “We brought OCO the food by doing what we refer to as a ‘Ruck’, we placed the food in backpacks and marched it to the OCO site carrying American flags,”
“It was a sight to see,” said OCO Nutrition Services Coordinator Bridget Dolbear. “They delivered several large bags of food to help fill our pantry’s shelves and they were able to tour our facility and see our kitchen where we prepare and package the food for our Meals on Wheels program.”
Part of nationwide Team Red, White, & Blue organization the Oswego chapter has been involved in a number of charitable endeavors such as Toys for Tots, Habitat for Humanity, Friends of Fulton Parks, among many others.
“We’re happy that we were able to partner with OCO’s Meals on Wheels program and look forward to volunteering for meal preparation and delivery. Team Red, White & Blue is always looking for new ideas on how to best serve the community,” added Pollard.
For more information on Team RWB Oswego contact Caitlin Pollard at caitlin.pollard@teamrwb.org.
OCO, Inc. is a private, non-profit agency that has been supporting communities throughout Oswego County since 1966. A member agency of the United Way of Greater Oswego County, OCO provides more than 50 vital services throughout 100 separate locations. For more information, visit www.oco.org.
