Pantry Pickup provides a variety of healthy foods for people of all ages. Every time we are open we offer fresh produce as well dairy, frozen proteins, bread and shelf stable food. We follow USDA My Plate guidelines and do our best to make sure large families get a balanced "plate" of groceries in quantities according to their family size.
Kids Club helps to close the meals gap for children. While children are distance learning at home or when they are on school vacation, they may not receive school breakfast and lunch. In 2020 due the COVID outbreak, the program became active for every month as we gave with children a Kids Club bag with extra milk or 100% juice, granola bars, peanut butter, fruit, cereal, mac n'cheese and snacks at every visit to our pantry.
Personal Care provides every family with soap, toothpaste and toilet paper in our dry grocery bags. Large families may receive additional items such as shampoo or deodorant. We try to have one cleaning item available for all families every month such as dishwashing liquid or a general purpose cleaner.
Diapers & Wipes are both offered for one child in a family at each visit, or, any family may reqest a package of wipes.
Back-to-School provides children with backpacks filled with school supplies in September due donations from Cradles to Crayons, Learning Express and the community.The FUEL initiative provides a weekend quantity of easy-to-prepare healthy meals so students come back to school ready to learn. Pasta, chicken, peanut butter, oatmeal, dried fruit and healthy snacks fill bags that are delivered to schools each week. We partnered with Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill on this amazing project.
Meal of the Month was introduced in 2020 to provide families with all the ingredients for a complete meal (or a prepared meal) in addition to their other groceries. These meals might be all the ingredients for a Lasagna, a Roast Chicken or Roast Beef Dinner, or, a complete meal from Bonapita or a local supermarket.
Pet Gift Cards redeemable at local pet stores help families with cats or dogs buy food for their furry family members
Thanksgiving Gift Cards are given to every family in November so they may purchase a turkey or other dinner entrée for their holiday table. We are thankful for Trinity Church and the Greater Boston Food Bank Partnership with Star Market for their supermarket gift card donations.
Winter Warmer was introduced in December 2019 and gave all shoppers their choice of a hat, socks, mittens or gloves. We purchased enough so every child and senior received an item as well as one adult in the household. We packed the kids choices with candy!
In 2020, all grocery bags distributed in December included a warm hat and children received a special bag with hot cocoa packets, cookies and a copy of local author Peter Reynold's book "Say Something."