Recent donations from the Gloucester Walmart will help the Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic serve patients in two programs.

The store has donated two refrigerators from its pharmacy and a chest freezer to the clinic. One refrigerator will be used in the GMCC pharmacy. The other, as well as the freezer, will be put to use storing perishable food for the new GMCC food pantry.

Store manager Rick Helton was instrumental in filling the needs of the clinic. Last month, he presented a $1,000 Walmart Foundation Community Grant to GMCC executive director Arlene Armentor. When she accepted the gift, she explained the needs for the clinic’s new food pantry program and said the clinic would like to buy a refrigerator from Walmart. “I think we can do one better than that for you,” Helton replied.

It is Walmart policy to replace its pharmacy refrigerators every two to three years, and time was up for the local equipment. The retired appliances donated to the GMCC are in perfect working order...