PLYMOUTH – When the Plymouth Community Food Pantry posted an advertisement seeking “clean, gently-used” winter coats, the staff at All-Star Transportation’s Plymouth terminal jumped into action.

The staff collected 30 coats and All-Star Transportation matched that total by purchasing 30 new coats that it also donated to the coat drive. Leslie Sheldon, All-Star’s operations manager, purchased and delivered the 30 coats to Sherry Hoag, an All-Star manager who brought the coats to the food pantry. Upon receiving the coats, Erin Kennedy, director of the food pantry, thanked the employees and All-Star for their contributions.

“We’re so appreciative,” Kennedy said. “We collected twice as many coats as last year, mainly thanks to you guys.”

The food pantry serves 665 people in the Plymouth area, including 200 children. Not surprisingly, it’s the children who are in the greatest need for coats. Typically, the food pantry works through the schools to collect coats, and now All-Star has become a resource.

“It is a great thing we here at All-Star accomplished. Being a bus driver is not only driving that big yellow bus to and from school, it’s also about caring for the precious cargo we transport and reaching out to the families in our communities when there is a need. It is a wonderful feeling,” Hoag said.

If you are interested in learning more about the food pantry, you can find more information on its website or its Facebook page.