Pipefitters Local 537 made a donation of $20,000 to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) to address an increased demand for food aid among families hit hardest by impacts of covid-19.

“We know how important it is to help families in need, especially right now,” said Tom Kerr, Pipefitters Local 537 Business Manager and Financial Secretary-Treasurer.

“During one of the most difficult times in our nation's history, we're happy to step up and provide for our fellow Bay Staters.”

The donation will help GBFB, the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, provide 60,000 meals for residents in over 190 cities and towns statewide. The funds were directly collected from proceeds at the Local 537 Charitable Foundation's Annual Golf Tournament last year.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the increase in food needs in the Commonwealth is a trend that could continue. Since the onset of the pandemic in March, the Greater Boston Food Bank has experienced the sixth largest distribution months in its 40-year history-- a total of more than 58 million pounds of food distributed in only 6 months, or 2.5 million pounds of food per week.