Vince Schiavone, Acting Executive Directoer of Caring For Friends, discussed the non-profit founded by his mother, Rita, in 1974 with the mission, no one should be hungry or alone in a world of caring people. Caring for Friends is a volunteer organization operating and independent food pantry; over 10,000 local volunteers, in churches and groups or working independently, deliver the food to homebound neighbors. Caring For Friends refrigerators are placed throughout the region, stocked by home-cooks and by groups working in the CFF kitchen, the 300+ host organizations use the food for their home-delivery programs and emergency food banks. He described how the organization grew – and servived the pandemic – by sticking to its core mission, food and companionship. In 2021 they provided over 400,000 meals and over a million pounds of food, a 75% increase over 2019 numbers. He asks any organization or individual who wants to hostr a food pantry , cook or deliver to reach out. To volunteer or to donate go to caringforfriends.org.