Hebron Food Pantry in Attleboro receives $70,000 donation from late high school teacher
ATTLEBORO - It was a call one Attleboro food pantry didn't see coming.
"She said 'are you sitting down?' I said 'I am,' and she proceeds to tell me it's $69,852.53. I immediately burst into tears," said Heather Porreca, president of the Hebron Food Pantry.
A whopping $70,000 gift to the Hebron Food Pantry in Attleboro. Its president told WBZ TV it's the biggest donation in the pantry's history - all thanks to the late Robert Perry.
Perry was a beloved math teacher at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham for more than three decades. He passed away in 2021, leaving behind this generous donation in his will.
"This is literally changing the way we go about feeding people in the community for years to come," Porreca explained. "For every dollar donated, we have about a $20 buying power at food banks."
That means Perry's donation equals about $1.3 million in groceries for those who need it most in the Greater Attleboro area, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
"The kids are out of school. Parents have them at home and they're not getting their breakfast and lunch services at school. Just over the last week alone, we've signed up 25 new families," said Porreca.
That's on top of the more than 400 families they serve every week, providing fresh produce, toiletries and other necessities.
Perry was described as a "good decent, generous man" in his obituary. He's being remembered for his kindness even after his passing.
"I couldn't agree with you more," Porreca replied. "Multiply that by 20 and that's the help you're bringing to your friends and neighbors," said Porreca.
