Carver Finance Committee Votes 3-0-1 to Award $5,000 to Shane Gives Thanks Food Pantry

CARVER — October 20, 2025 — Carver Finance Committee awards $5,000 to Shane Gives Thanks and moves to restore its grant budget to $25,000 for fiscal year 2027. The committee voted 3-0-1 at its October 20 meeting to approve the grant to the Carver-area food pantry, the only organization to apply within the submission window. Board secretary Monica told the panel the pantry now serves an average of 1,600 families per month — more than 1,000 of them from Carver, including 684 senior citizens — and sees roughly 23 first-time visitors each week. Members noted the grant line was cut from $25,000 to $10,000 during a prior budget crisis and was never restored; Finance Director Karen was directed to include the increase in the FY27 budget request. The committee also received a capital and revenue briefing showing $5.4 million in open capital projects and learned that energy efficiency work funded through the Green Communities grant had been invoiced through the Planning Department rather than the capital budget, creating what the Finance Director called a visibility gap she is now working to correct.