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August 27, 2010: Back-to-school shopping? Stock up on Labels
shirts and caps at our store.
Carry a cool message back to school with you. August 24, 2010: This is the one-year anniversary of the launch of our “Hit for Hunger”
campaign. Thanks to everyone who has joined the “Hit for Hunger” team – it’s
been a great year! August 21, 2010: Note from a donor: “Your work is an authentic sign of God’s presence in
a very anxious, hungry, and confused world.” August 18, 2010: This has been our busiest summer to date at the Cor Unum Meal Center.
There’s no doubt that hunger is on the increase because of the bad economy.
There’s also no doubt that we every day defeat hunger in Lawrence. August 15, 2010: What a wild season for our friends on the Red Sox. In the midst of all
the injuries, we are especially proud of the recent play of our “Hit for
Hunger” captain, Mike Lowell! August 12, 2010: A person who recently visited Lawrence to see Cor Unum in action sent a
follow-up gift of $500 with a brief note: “You are so right. Labels really do
belong on jars.” August 9, 2010: Thanks to our friends at Wheaton College for another check – the second
of the summer! August 6, 2010: There have been major cuts in the fire and police departments in
Lawrence. The situation is definitely not safe. August 3, 2010: A donor who has been sending us at least one check each month for the
past five years writes, “It is difficult to believe that five years have
passed since I first learned about Labels and the wonderful work that you do
feeding the working poor of Lawrence. It is an honor for me and my family to
be able to support Cor Unum.” July 31, 2010: In the dog days of summer, what could be more fun than ice cream for kids at the Cor Unum Meal Center? July 28, 2010: A suburban Boston food pantry sent us a gift of $750 from their excess.
This is much appreciated! July 25, 2010: Thanks for recent donations from around the USA: $10 from Round Rock,
TX; $15 from Norton, KS; $25 from Sun City Center, FL; $30 from Salem, NH;
$40 from Westminster, CO; $50 from San Diego, CA; $70 from Annapolis, MD; $80
from Edison, NJ; $100 from Hollis Centre, ME; $150 from Charlotte, NC; $500
from Columbia, MD; $750 from New York City, NY; $1,000 from Pomfret Center,
CT; and $2,500 from Findlay, OH. July 22, 2010: The Cor Unum Meal Center releases e-newsletters a few times a year. If
you’d like to subscribe, there’s a new edition on the way. July 19, 2010: Central Committee member Sean Casey’s broadcast coverage of last week’s
MLB All Star festivities included this intelligent interview with Will Ferrell. Congrats to Hit for Hunger team member David Ortiz
for having won the Home Run Derby. July 16, 2010: We welcome new volunteers at the Cor Unum Meal Center, especially
during the summer – our busiest season. To learn more about volunteering at
Cor Unum and to sign-up online, click here. July 13, 2010: A Red Sox fan from Whiting, New Jersey
(enemy territory as far as baseball is concerned) sent us a donation in honor
of our Hit for Hunger players. Much appreciated! July 10, 2010: Long-time Labels supporters from Maryland visited Cor Unum for the
first time last night. If you’d like to visit the meal center, call us at
978-984-0118. July 7, 2010: We are once again experiencing a week of
excellent volunteer help at Cor Unum with the Catholic Heart Work Camp
organization. They are one of our favorite groups! July 4, 2010: Happy Independence Day! We are celebrating the
Fourth with an indoor cookout at Cor Unum. Stop by! July 1, 2010: We have our latest e-newsletter coming out
next week. If you’re not on our mailing list and would like to join, click here. June 28, 2010: Four
out of five children in Massachusetts who depend on school meal programs will
go without them this summer. We are blessed that Cor Unum is able to provide
two nutritious meals every day this summer to the children of Lawrence. June 25, 2010: We have more bad economic news in Lawrence.
Our
unemployment rate was 17.5% in May, up from 16.7% in April. The unemployment
rate in Lawrence in May 2009 was 16.2%. June 22, 2010: Students at Wheaton College in Norton, MA
continue to collect money for Labels Are For Jars. We first connected with
Wheaton in 2004. It’s been a great relationship! June 19, 2010: A family who for several years regularly donated
to Labels last fall wrote to us explaining that they’d been hit by
unemployment and would need to curtail charitable donations. We’re happy to
have heard from them again, with the great news of a new job. . . and a check
offered in thanksgiving. June 16, 2010: Members of the Boston Red Sox Wives group
returned to Lawrence tonight to help serve dinner at Cor Unum. Many thanks to
Holly Fisher, Bertha Lowell, Yuka Okijima, Tiffany Ortiz, and Stacy
Wakefield. To see some pics, click here. To see Yuka’s blog about the experience,
click here –
it’s an interesting read. June 13, 2010: The Wolfpack Volunteers at Boston Latin
School concluded the academic year by presenting us with the proceeds from
their creative Labels Are For Jars project. The students designed their own
versions of Labels shirts, organized the production process, and sold them at
school this year to raise money for our cause. This proves once again that
BLS is the finest high school in the United States. June 10, 2010: Muchas gracias for a super generous
donation of $10,000 from Canton, MA. That will fund meals for 10,000 people
at Cor Unum. June 7, 2010: Father’s Day approaches. Labels gear is the
perfect gift for Dad. June 4, 2010: Central Committee member Conan O’Brien
tonight did the first of the two Boston shows in his “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television
Tour”. Labels was well represented in the sold-out audience at the Citi Wang
Theatre. We agree that Conan is a ridiculous person . . . and one of our
faves. Click here for a review
of the silliness. June 1, 2010: Do you follow us on Twitter? Join us at “lafj”.
One tweet a day. May 29, 2010: It’s the end of the month, which means many
people in Lawrence have the least money and the lines are longest at the Cor
Unum Meal Center. We are enormously thankful that, no matter the extent of
the nutritional need in Lawrence, we are able to meet it! May 26, 2010: We are honored to have received a donation of $5,000 from the estate of
a Labels supporter. If you have questions about including us in your estate
planning, give us a call at 978-984-0118. May 23, 2010: Spring has sprung across the USA. It’s a
great time to pick up new Labels gear for the summer. Please stop by our
online store. May 20, 2010: We are happy to learn that Extreme Sports
pioneer Dan Egan is wearing a Labels Are For Jars “hungry” cap. May 17, 2010: An
unemployed Cor Unum guest told us today, “The only food I’ve had in my apartment
for the past week is a can of sardines. You’ve saved my life.” May 14, 2010: Many thanks to employees at Fidelity
Investments for keeping a Labels jar in their department and regularly
filling it to support our cause! May 11, 2010: A married couple from suburban Boston has
been sending us $100 per month for 25 consecutive months. That totals $2,500,
which has provided 2,500 meals at the Cor Unum Meal Center. May 8, 2010: We appreciate having received a generous
gift from supporters in London, England. May 5, 2010: Here’s a great note received at Cor Unum,
accompanying a gift of $200: “I was unemployed and down and out. I came to
you for my only meal. I just would like to say thank you for helping me and
all the people who need a good meal. Now I’m working and have a good-paying
job. Thanks to my Lord for answering my prayers.” May 2, 2010: A doctor in New York City sent us a gift of
$750, matched with $750 from his employers. If your employer does matching gifts,
please consider submitting one for Labels Are For Jars! April 29, 2010: A Labels fan from Norton, KS writes: “I proudly wear my Slacker t-shirt and get
many stares and questions about it. Keep up the good work.” April 26, 2010: Thank you to everyone from St. Michael’s in
North Andover, MA who participated in yesterday’s walk to benefit Cor Unum.
It was a beautiful day and a beautiful event. April 23, 2010: Unemployment in Lawrence is now 18.4
percent. For people who have jobs, the end of the month is the time that
money most often runs short, so the number of meals served at Cor Unum
increases significantly. April 20, 2010: Folks from St. Michael Parish in North
Andover, MA are doing a walk to benefit Cor Unum this Sunday. For more info,
click here. April 17, 2010: Central Committee member Paul B O’Brien
spoke about the founding of Cor Unum and Labels Are For Jars at today’s
Boston Catholic Men’s Conference. To watch the broadcast of the talk, click here. April 14, 2010: Congratulations to Central Committee member
Conan O’Brien on the announcement of his new show on TBS, beginning this
November. This is huge news in Cocoworld. (Do you know there are almost a
MILLION members of I’m With Coco on Facebook?!) April 11, 2010: Thank you to a husband and wife from Canton,
MA for their super generous gift of $10,000 to help feed the hungry through
Labels Are For Jars. April 8, 2010: Central Committee member Paul B. O’Brien is
one of the scheduled speakers at next weekend’s big Boston Catholic Men’s
Conference. If you’re interested in attending, click here. April 5, 2010: We had a wonderful celebration of Easter at
Cor Unum last night – a huge meal, great guests and volunteers, and lots of
presents for kids. Thanks to everyone who helped! April 2, 2010: Believe it or not, baseball season is about
to begin. Welcome back to Boston to ALL of our Hit for Hunger players: Josh
Beckett, Mikey Lowell, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, and Dustin Pedroia. March 30, 2010: The recent rain storms in the Merrimack
Valley did some damage to windows and walls in Cor Unum. We’re happy to
report that everything is being completely repaired. . . without any
interruption of meal service. March 27, 2010: We’re beginning Holy Week, which means Lent
is moving toward its climax. We hope that everyone who has used our Labels
Lent Guide has found it to be a helpful spiritual resource. This week, please
put the contents of your Labels Lent Jar in the form of a check or money
order and mail it to us at 118 South Broadway, Lawrence, MA 01843. Your
comments and suggestions for next year’s Lent Guide are most welcome! March 24, 2010: Central Committee member Jon Jennings’
Maine Red Claws are moving toward the playoffs. For more info on the team,
click here. March 21, 2010: We’re looking for volunteer help at the Cor
Unum Meal Center to assist with breakfast service and cooking. To learn about
volunteer opportunities at Cor Unum and to communicate your interest in
helping, click here. March 18, 2010: The Merrimack Valley is experiencing much
flood damage. Cor Unum is in a safe spot vis-à-vis flooding, but we have had
some damage from the torrential rains. Repairs will begin immediately. March 15, 2010: Free Christian Church in Andover, MA hosted
a hunger banquet for their congregation this weekend, with part of the discussion
focused on Cor Unum and Labels Are For Jars. Thanks to our friends at Free
Christian for all their support of our work, and for their generous
contribution this weekend! March 12, 2010: Central Committee member Conan O’Brien is
launching a three month, 30 city tour of ridiculous behavior. To check out a
location and purchase tickets, click here. If you go, wear your Labels shirt! March 9, 2010: One of our supporters has been collecting money
in his Labels jar since the summer of 2004. The latest jar return he sent us
is his eighth, and brings the total he has collected to $838.95. March 6, 2010: We appreciate the continuing donations of a
bible study group from just outside Boston. Their most recent contributions
to our cause were checks for $155 and $235. March 3, 2010: Welcome to a group of freshmen from Boston
College who are pursuing service work during their spring break, and helping
out today at Cor Unum. February 28, 2010: Thank you to a teenaged sister and brother
in Andover, MA, one identified as “prisoner” and the other as “troubled
teen”, for their collaborative Labels jar return of $225. February 25, 2010: All of our “Hit for Hunger” team members
are present and accounted for at spring training in Fort Myers. We would
prefer that they all remain in one place. February 22, 2010: One of our loyal donors, who was just over 100 years old, recently died.
Her son sent us a copy of the Words of Remembrance that he read at her
funeral, which included a description of her love for our mission and the
name of our organization. Very cool. February 19, 2010: A couple in Acton, MA decided to clean out
their son’s bedroom after he moved away to college (in our opinion, a very
risky choice on the part of the parents). They were pleasantly surprised to
find his Labels jar with $100 in it. They added their own contribution and
sent us a check for $150. February 16, 2010: We had an event last year at the Glen
Urquhart School in Beverly, MA. One of the students, who bought a “geek”
shirt after the event, just sent in her first Labels jar return - $89.50.
Good job! February 13, 2010: Central Committee member Paul B. O’Brien
spoke this week to the student body of Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA. He
was introduced by none other than Labels pal Timmy Barnicle. February 10, 2010: We are very pleased to announce that the
Cor Unum Meal Center has passed the milestone of having served more than 500,000 meals!
It’s almost hard to believe – more than half a million meals since September
30, 2006. Thank you to everyone who has helped make possible this huge
project! February 7, 2010: We were happy this week to welcome to Cor Unum one of our very loyal
sponsors from Florida, who was visiting the meal center for the first time.
If you’re one of our many long-distance supporters, we hope you will visit
Cor Unum when you’re in MA. February 4, 2010: Thanks to everyone who has purchased our
“Hit for Hunger” shirts at Newbury Comics. We have received a check for
recent sales – the amount makes us very happy! February 1, 2010: Super duper recent jar returns from around MA: $19 from Allston, $50
from Malden, $50 from Fall River, $54.21 from Douglas, $123.25 from Methuen,
$150 from Winchester, and a collective $487 from folks who dropped off their
jar returns at our offices. Thanks to all! January 29, 2010: Note accompanying a $100 donation: “Thank you
so much for giving me this opportunity to share in your work of feeding God’s
hungry.” January 26, 2010: Central Committee member Conan O’Brien has
been a bit in the news lately. We have never been more proud of him! January 23, 2010: Labels Are For Jars involves people of a
huge range of religious faiths and no professed faith. For our Christian friends, Lent is on the
way – beginning the second week of February. Each year, we organize a Labels Lent
program, which has proven to be very popular and spiritually helpful for
thousands of folks. The Labels Lent program includes:
To access the 2010 Lent Guide, click here. January 20, 2010: Central Committee member Conan O’Brien has
been a bit in the news lately. We have never been more proud of him! January 17, 2010: One hundred dollar donations add up very
nicely. Here’s what donors in MA have recently produced: $100 each from
Newton + Allston + Lawrence + Harvard + Hingham + Wellesley + Somerville +
Melrose + Stow + Dedham + Marshfield + North Reading + Chestnut Hill +
Concord + Burlington + Framingham + Lexington + Carlisle + Andover + Methuen
= $2,000! January 14, 2010: We have been receiving communications and
donations from all over the country following the broadcasts of Scenes from a Parish on PBS. Welcome
to many new friends and supporters! January 11, 2010: We have a group of senior citizens in Florida
who knit caps all year long for distribution to guests at Cor Unum during the
cold months. Thanks to our knitters for having produced hundreds of
beautiful, warm caps for our guests this winter! January 8, 2010: It’s always good to begin the new year with
a bang. We’re knocked down by the bang of the donation of $50,000 from a
married couple who live outside Boston. This gift will go a very long way in
helping feed hungry folks in Lawrence. January 5, 2010: Our friends at the Walpole Community Food
Pantry in Walpole, MA reached out with a donation of $500 to help our
mission. We are so impressed to witness this generosity from another
anti-hunger agency. January 2, 2010: Workers at Braintree Scientific, Inc. in
Braintree, MA decided to forgo gifts to each other for the holiday season and
instead pool the money they would have spent on each other into a donation to
Labels Are For Jars. We are very grateful! December 30, 2009: We tonight had our second annual Christmas
party for kids who regularly eat at Cor Unum. Special thanks to Matt Noone
and the boys from the Babson College baseball team for bringing order out of
the chaos! December 27, 2009: We’re looking forward to the national
broadcast of Scenes from a Parish
on PBS’ Independent Lens on December 29. In the Boston market, the film will
be shown on January 3 at 9:00 pm on WGBH 44.
To check your local listing for broadcast times, click here. December 24, 2009: Our big Christmas dinner at Cor Unum will be tomorrow from 4:30 to 6:30
pm. Join us! December 21, 2009: Our production team for public service
announcements did a terrific job of producing radio PSAs for the 2009 holiday
season. Narrated by our pal Mike Lowell, the new PSAs have been running
widely this month in the Boston radio market. To hear the 60 second version,
click here.
All three versions are available at the top of the “Radio” section of our
“Jars in the News” page. December 18, 2009: Many thanks to our supporters who are sending us end-of-year donations.
We welcome all gifts at 118 South Broadway, Lawrence, MA 01843. To donate
online, click here. December 15, 2009: Central Committee member Paul B. O’Brien can be heard tomorrow at 9:00
pm on the NightSide program with Dan Rea on WBZ 1030 – both on the radio and
via internet streaming. December 13, 2009: The sixth grade class at the John J. McGlynn School in Medford, MA
collected $250 for Labels in five days. Great job! December 11, 2009: Attention baseball fans! Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Mike
Lowell, and David Ortiz have made available some unique gifts that we’re
auctioning on eBay: autographed copies of their “Hit for Hunger” shirts.
Bidding is open through December 18. Click on each player’s name to go to his
auction area on eBay: Pedroia, Papelbon, Lowell, Ortiz. December 8, 2009: Central Committee member Paul B. O’Brien spoke yesterday to students in
the social entrepreneurship class at Babson College. One group of students
from the class has been doing a case study of Labels and Cor Unum during this
semester. December 5, 2009: Commonwealth Motors in Lawrence has
organized a food collection drive to doubly benefit Cor Unum. For every
non-perishable food item you drop off at Commonwealth Motors for Cor Unum,
the dealership will contribute $1 to Cor Unum – up to $10,000 total. Jump
onboard if you can – 1 Commonwealth Drive in Lawrence, directly off Route
495. December 2, 2009: To receive our upcoming e-newsletter, click here and register. Stay connected
with us! November 29, 2009: With the beginning of the holiday shopping
season, we’re hoping you’ll include lots of Labels gear on your gift list.
Everything can be smoothly purchased with a few clicks in our online store. November 26, 2009: Happy Thanksgiving to all! To see a report
on Cor Unum from last night’s news on WBZ-TV in Boston, click here. November 23, 2009: Cor Unum is buzzing with preparations for
our Thanksgiving feast, which runs every day from Thursday through the
weekend. The first big meal is on Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Join us! November 20, 2009: Independent Lens has a new website
dedicated to the December 29 national broadcast of Scenes from a Parish. To check it out, click here. November 17, 2009: The United States Department of Agriculture
reports that 14.6 percent of Americans were hungry last year, up from 11.1
percent of Americans in 2007 and the highest percentage since USDA hunger
surveys began in 1995. That means 17 million American households experienced
hunger last year. Amazing. November 14, 2009: The rough news from Lawrence is that our
unemployment rate is up to 18.3 percent. We are not seeing any signs of
recovery on the immediate horizon. This makes us more grateful than ever to
be able to provide hot, nutritious food to thousands of people each week at
the Cor Unum Meal Center. In the midst of economic darkness, we are no longer
afraid of hunger. November 11, 2009: Our PR team is in the process of putting
together our 2009 holiday gift campaign radio PSAs. We will share them with
you as soon as the editing is complete. November 8, 2009: A young man in West Newtonville, MA
collected $60 in his Labels jar and donated it to us in honor of his
grandmother on her birthday. She lives in Lawrence and is measurably the most
proud grandmother on the planet. November 5, 2009: A supporter writes: “Enclosed is a small
donation for Labels. As always, I wish it could be more. Things are tough in
America these days, and as I count my many blessings, I am keeping you and
the people of Lawrence in my prayers. . . . I don’t know what the answer is
to the problems of our economic system, but I do know that people are
hurting. I wish I could do more.” November 2, 2009: A note from a generous
donor: “Thank you so much for your care and concern for those in need. What
would our Lord do without people like you?” October 30, 2009: The kids at Cor Unum
have this week decorated pumpkins, cookies, and cupcakes for Halloween. They
should be set for the big night tomorrow. October 27, 2009: Thanks to supporters on
Cape Cod for their donation of $1,000. That will provide for 1,000 meals at
Cor Unum! October 24, 2009: Carol Sawyer Parks was
one of the first people to roll up her sleeves to help us build support for
Cor Unum when it was just a concept. She’s been the best friend we could have
since our get-go. This week, Carol’s new W Boston hotel opens – an incredible
place that she built from the ground up. Congratulations to Carol. Please
visit the W! October 21, 2009: Let’s run through the
alphabet of MA towns from which we’ve recently received $100 donations:
Andover, Boxford, Carlisle, Dracut, Framingham, Hyde Park, Lawrence, Methuen,
North Andover, Reading, South Weymouth, Tewksbury, and Wellesley. That’s 13
letters and $1,300 in gifts. October 18, 2009: It’s amazing how many
people do good for others during their lifetimes, and then continue doing
good after they die through planned giving. We are very grateful for an
estate donation of $20,000 from a supporter who intended to help the
economically poor even after his death. October 15, 2009: Thank you to friends in
MA who have sent big Labels jar returns: $150 from Provincetown and $350 from
West Newton. October 12, 2009: Gordon Edes did a Yahoo!
Sports piece on Mikey Lowell and Lawrence. Check it out here. October 9, 2009: Seven-year-old Frankie
K. of Dover, MA heard about our work and organized a cookie sale outside his
house to raise money for us. His total profits were $110! October 6, 2009: Central Committee member
Paul B. O’Brien and Scenes from a
Parish director James Rutenbeck spoke at a screening of James’ film for the
freshman class at Phillips Andover Academy. Beginning this fall, every
freshman at Phillips Andover will volunteer some time at Cor Unum. In four
years, no one will have graduated from Phillips Andover without having served
with us. Very impressive! October 3, 2009: Congratulations to our
pals on the Red Sox for making it into the MLB playoffs. There’s no better
time than now to purchase your “Hit for Hunger” shirt. To do so, simply go to
our online store. September 30, 2009: Happy third anniversary
today to the Cor Unum Meal Center! We’re pleased to announce that more than 450,000
meals have been served at Cor Unum – more than 185,000 during the last year! As the
economy has gotten tougher, our supporters have risen to the occasion to
provide for thousands of hungry people in Lawrence. Happy anniversary and
thank you to all who work to eliminate hunger through the Cor Unum Meal
Center and Labels Are For Jars! September 27, 2009: In anticipation of this
week’s third anniversary of the opening of Cor Unum, there was a celebratory
feast at the meal center tonight. We were thrilled to welcome 866 guests to
the anniversary dinner. Thanks to all who made it a fabulous anniversary
celebration! September 23, 2009: A senior citizen in
Lawrence broke open her piggy bank and donated the contents to Labels -
$19.83. That will provide 20 meals for hungry people at Cor Unum – a great
collection! September 20, 2009: Some of our donors send
gifts to Labels on a monthly basis. These really add up. A couple in Newton
Centre, MA, has been sending $100 every month for the past 16 months - $1,600
total, and 1,600 meals funded at Cor Unum! September 17, 2009: We received a generous
donation from a supporter who had been deliberating for a long time whether
to buy a gun. He ultimately decided not to buy the gun, and sent us some of
the money he’d saved for it to help feed hungry people at the Cor Unum Meal
Center. Super choice! September 14, 2009: On Saturday, “Hit for
Hunger” spokesman Mike Lowell surprised hundreds of young people in Lawrence
with football equipment for the Pop Warner and Mill City Junior Maulers
teams. It was a wild and very beautiful scene. To see some pictures, click here. September 11, 2009: The Wolfpack Volunteers
at Boston Latin School are working on a very creative project to support
Labels Are For Jars. If your school or youth group is interested in promoting
Labels in your community, email us at questions@labelsareforjars.org. September 8, 2009: Thanks to Central Committee
member Frank Mahon for having updates the Photo Gallery page of this website.
To check out pictures of Labels through the years, click here. September 5, 2009: We’ve passed the
430,000-meals-served milestone at Cor Unum. That means we provided more than
50,000 meals during the summer! September 2, 2009: It’s back-to-school week
in Lawrence. Thanks to everyone who supports our mission, the children in our
neighborhood are every day able to stop by Cor Unum on their way to school
for full breakfasts. There’s little learning on empty stomachs, but much more
potential with good nutrition. August 30, 2009: “Hit for Hunger”
spokesman Mike Lowell today did an in-store appearance at Newbury Comics on
Newbury Street in Boston. Lots of fans turned out in the midst of a big rain
storm. Huge thanks to Mike Dreese, Lisa Fehl, and all our friends at Newbury
Comics for sponsoring this event, and for all they do for Labels. Check out
the pics here. Buzz Archive (click here for
older articles) |