PAPELBON

He’s used to providing pitching relief for the champion Boston Red Sox. But on Friday, Jonathan Papelbon pitched in to provide relief for the hungry.

Papelbon made an appearance at a Shaw’s Supermarket in Mansfield, Mass., to promote a food drive that will benefit area hunger organizations, including the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Through Dec. 16, Shaw’s and Star Market stores will ask customers to purchase $5, $10 or $15 bags filled with groceries requested by food banks. Customers who buy the bags carry them from the check-out lines to collection bins near the supermarket exits.

All of the donations at the 18 Shaw’s locations in Rhode Island will benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, part of America’s Second Harvest Food Banks.

The bank helps feed more than 40,000 people in Rhode Island each month through a network of 300 member agencies.

According to the food bank, 11.3 percent of Rhode Island households do not know where their next meal will come from.