The Perry post has also recognized concerns in the community made worse by the pandemic, and has engaged with the community to address them. In November the post contacted the FDR hospital to see if their clothing locker could benefit from a clothing drive. The post had run such a drive back in 2019 resulting in $18,000 worth of mostly used clothing donations for the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital’s pandemic control measures ban the acceptance of used clothing donations. Not willing to accept defeat, the Legionnaires held a new-clothing drive. There was an outpouring of generosity not only from the Legionnaires and Auxiliary, but also Legion posts throughout the county as well as members of the local community. The drive successfully raised over $2,600 worth of shirts, pants, coats, undergarments and other new clothing. The staff at the hospital were very grateful for such a large donation of new clothing, one that helped maintain the viability of their clothing locker during the pandemic.
When planning the clothing drive the post contacted a local food pantry that also normally provides used clothing to needy families. Unfortunately, the food pantry also indicated they couldn’t accept used clothing during the pandemic, but countered with how strongly they needed food donations. The pandemic’s impacts to local families have resulted in very high demand for food at the pantry. So the post stepped up to the challenge and held a non-perishable food drive in combination with the new clothing drive. Members of the post and community were equally responsive in their generous food donations. The drive raised over $1,900 worth of food donations, which were donated to the local People to People Food Pantry.