Marking donation of $5,000 from this year’s “Slice of Saugatuck” to support the Homes with Hope food pantry are, from left, Helen McAlinden, the Homes with Hope president and CEO, accepting the gift from Matthew Mandell, Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce executive director, with Paris Looney, vice president and chief operating officer of Homes with Hope. / Contributed photo

WESTPORT — Just in time for Thanksgiving, a $5,000 donation from proceeds of this year’s “Slice of Saugatuck” festival will help stock the Homes with Hope food pantry.

The donation, made by the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, organizer of the summertime Saugatuck event, continues the tradition of yearly donations to the nonprofit’s Gillespie pantry.

This year’s donation, the 12th since the Slice of Saugatuck was founded, brings the total to $54,000 given in support of Homes with Hope.

“This is a great time of year to be putting food in the pantry,” Matthew Mandell, the chamber’s executive director, said in a statement announcing the donation.

“Hunger is something we can all work to address, and I’m pleased we as an organization and a community are doing something about,” he added.

“This huge donation of $5,000 will go a long way toward purchasing needed food for the pantry participants,” Helen McAlinden, the Homes with Hope president and CEO, said in the statement. “It is good timing because we are about to return to the Gillespie Center after the renovations.”

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