In one of the most difficult economic climates in the state’s history Rep. Sean Garballey, Democrat of Arlington and West Medford, says in a news release that he is fulfilling a promise that he made last January, when the Legislature received a 5.5-percent pay raise -- donate a "significant amount" of the raise to the Arlington Food Pantry and a nonprofit in West Medford.

Garballey said Nov. 21 that he is giving $1,000 to the food pantry and an equal amount to the West Medford Community Center.  The raise was about $3,000 before taxes.

If, after calculating the taxes on the $3,000 raise, he has money left over, he said he plans to make additional private donations.

“With having to make extremely difficult fiscal choices I thought that it would be extremely bad policy and a poor leadership decision to accept a pay raise during a time period when the Legislature is cutting essential services.”

The Food Pantry in Arlington has played an extremely important role in fighting poverty, and Garballey says he hopes that this donation will help in continuing the fight against poverty in the town of Arlington.

“With over 600,000 people in Massachusetts going to bed hungry each day I am calling on all Arlington residents to join me in either donating food items or making a monetary donation to the Arlington Food Pantry. We have a moral obligation as a community in making sure that all citizens of Arlington do not go to bed hungry,” he said in a news release. 

The Food Pantry is in the Church of our Savior at 21 Marathon St., Arlington.

Some examples of donations that the Food Pantry welcomes include cereal, dried milk, canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish and canned meats, Spaghetti-O’s, stews, hash, ravioli, soups, fruit juices, coffee, tea, pasta and sauces, Jell-O pudding mixes, baby food, soap, shampoo, conditioners, toothpaste, toothbrushes, diapers, and Johnnie's Foodmaster gift cards.

To make a monetary donation, checks can be made payable to The Arlington Food Pantry and sent to the Arlington Food Pantry, Department of Health and Human Services 670R Mass. Ave., Arlington 02476.

For more information about volunteering with the Food Pantry, call the Department of Health and Human Services at 781-316-3251.

Garballey can be reached at his office at 617-722-2400 or on his cell phone at 781-859-7781.