Coventry Lumber Raises $10K for Community Food Bank

Coventry Human Services Director Pat Shurtleff and Food Bank Coordinator Stefani Dugas accepted a $10,000 check Wednesday afternoon to benefit the food bank.

The check was awarded by Coventry Lumber Owners Mike Durand and Bill Finnegan, who hosted a fundraising golf tournament Sept. 9 at the Potowomut Golf Club. Through golfer fees and the sale of raffle tickets, the tournament raised $10,000, bringing the company's total food bank donations to nearly $85,000 over the seven years that the fundraiser has been hosted.

Dugas explained that the food bank spends about $20,000 a year on food products alone that is used to support more than 300 Coventry families, approximately 500 residents, in need per month.

"This donation definitely gives us buying power," she said. "We buy most of our food from the Rhode Island Food Bank for 10 cents a pound, so this will go a very long way."

The business also lends a truck and a driver to the food bank during the winter months to help transport donations for the holiday "Tis the Season" food drive.

"Coventry Lumber and its employees are really invested members of the community," Shurtleff said. "Mike Durand and his staff are some of the unsung heroes of our community and they really recognize the need to help folks in the community."

"I was born and raised here in Coventry, so it really is a great pleasure to us that we get to help and give back to our community," said Durand.