Police Department Raises $2,100 For Reading Food Pantry

READING, MA — The Reading Police Department's No Shave November extension, "Don't Shave December," raised $2,100 for the Reading Food Pantry, the department announced Friday. A group of 20 officers participated in Don't Shave December, each contributing $100 to the Reading Food Pantry. The Reading Patrol Officer's Union also donated $100 to the effort.

This is the Reading Police Department's second year holding a Don't Shave December fundraiser to support the local food pantry. The initiative began last year when multiple officers expressed significant enthusiasm after raising funds for Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program dedicated to helping veterans and their families, through No Shave November. As a result, the department held Don't Shave December, and the department's shaving regulations were waived once again, this time to support the local food pantry.

"Our officers really look forward to No Shave November, and their enthusiasm led the department to hold its first Don't Shave December last year," Deputy Chief David Clark said in a statement. "Waiving the department's shaving regulations is a fun way to come together and donate to support organizations that do incredible work, and it is our pleasure to be able to give back to the Reading Food Pantry."

The Reading Food Pantry supports 120 local households, 45 percent of which include senior citizens.

"With this donation we will be able to buy between 6,000 and 7,000 pounds of fresh food," Coordinator of the Reading Food Pantry Phyllis Maxwell said in a statement. "We thank the Reading Police Department for helping support the Food Pantry with this great fundraiser."

The Food Pantry is open to accept donations Monday nights from 7-8 p.m. and Friday mornings from 10:30-11:30 a.m.