After he collected weeks’ worth of food for his local food pantry in 2021, Belmond Schwartz said he wanted to do it “bigger and better” in a year’s time.The 9-year-old from Mansfield, Massachusetts, delivered on his promise in a big way, collecting 2 tons of food that will be going to food pantries in his hometown and the neighboring community of Easton as they prepare to feed people in need for Thanksgiving.In addition to the 4,000 pounds of food, Belmond collected approximately $4,000 in donations for the local food shelters.The fourth-grader and his family, along with other volunteers, delivered the food and donations to the pantries on Sunday.Belmond said he was inspired to collect all this food over the past two years after a family trip to California, where he saw people who were homeless and hungry.”I saw tents on the streets and I had never seen them before in my life,” Belmond said of his California trip last year. “So I asked parents what it was and they told me that people couldn’t afford to live, so they had to live in tents and they didn’t have very much.”To make this year’s collection bigger and better, Belmond and his parents, Steven and Lily, founded the nonprofit organization in order to collect food and monetary donations.Their big collection came during their “Belmond’s Wish” event at Camp Maplewood in Easton which was held in lieu of Belmond’s birthday, which is around Thanksgiving.”In lieu of birthday gifts, he asked that people bring in food donations. So they came in droves,” Steven Schwartz said. “We had hundreds of people come. I think all the kids had a great time and it was just incredibly fulfilling.””Walmart helped and other organizations helped us get all this food – 4,000 pounds of food, which is more than double what we received last year, which is amazing,” Lily Schwartz said. “It was really amazing to see that everybody believed in this little kid and he gave up his birthday,” she added. “He believes if he can give up a little, then you can give a little. And if we all give a little, then it’ll be a lot.”Steven Schwartz said the plan is to continue the effort to collect food for local pantries through another Belmond’s Wish charity event. Once again, the goal is to do it bigger and better in 2023.
After he collected weeks’ worth of food for his local food pantry in 2021, Belmond Schwartz said he wanted to do it “bigger and better” in a year’s time.
The 9-year-old from Mansfield, Massachusetts, delivered on his promise in a big way, collecting 2 tons of food that will be going to food pantries in his hometown and the neighboring community of Easton as they prepare to feed people in need for Thanksgiving.
In addition to the 4,000 pounds of food, Belmond collected approximately $4,000 in donations for the local food shelters.
The fourth-grader and his family, along with other volunteers, delivered the food and donations to the pantries on Sunday.
Belmond said he was inspired to collect all this food over the past two years after a family trip to California, where he saw people who were homeless and hungry.
“I saw tents on the streets and I had never seen them before in my life,” Belmond said of his California trip last year. “So I asked parents what it was and they told me that people couldn’t afford to live, so they had to live in tents and they didn’t have very much.”
To make this year’s collection bigger and better, Belmond and his parents, Steven and Lily, founded the nonprofit organization in order to collect food and monetary donations.
Their big collection came during their “Belmond’s Wish” event at Camp Maplewood in Easton which was held in lieu of Belmond’s birthday, which is around Thanksgiving.
“In lieu of birthday gifts, he asked that people bring in food donations. So they came in droves,” Steven Schwartz said. “We had hundreds of people come. I think all the kids had a great time and it was just incredibly fulfilling.”
“Walmart helped and other organizations helped us get all this food – 4,000 pounds of food, which is more than double what we received last year, which is amazing,” Lily Schwartz said.
“It was really amazing to see that everybody believed in this little kid and he gave up his birthday,” she added. “He believes if he can give up a little, then you can give a little. And if we all give a little, then it’ll be a lot.”
Steven Schwartz said the plan is to continue the effort to collect food for local pantries through another Belmond’s Wish charity event. Once again, the goal is to do it bigger and better in 2023.
