Damien’s Food Pantry received a heaping portion of donated pasta – roughly 1,500 boxes – on Sunday, Sept. 30, following the annual Walk for Marie.

For the past seven years, Kristen Murphy, Megan Greene  and Ken Metivier have helped out a different nonprofit each year in honor if their mother, Marie Auld of Wareham, who passed away in 2012 from lung cancer. This year, the siblings collected pasta for Damien’s Food Pantry, which serves people across the South Coast.

Food was collected during the Walk for Marie event, held earlier this month in New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park. The family accepted donations before and after the event as well.

On Sunday, Damien’s received the pasta just in time, according to Mike Paolella, the food pantry’s temporary warehouse manager.

“This is perfect timing, we were almost out,” said Paolella, who noted that over the past week the pantry has seen an increase in demand. About 70 people have been coming daily in that time, a significantly higher number than usual.

“Damien’s is very grateful. This donation is going to help feed a lot of people,” said Paolella. “It lifts your spirit, it really does.” 

He credited Murphy, Greene, Metivier and Damien’s Director Carol Cordeiro for coordinating the donation.

“Let’s hope it helps,” said Metivier.