Dan Foley 3/30/26 Dan Foley 3/30/26

Centre Street Food Pantry Celebrates 15th Anniversary With Community Event At Papa Razzi in Wellesley

Staff, Volunteers, Supporters And Community Partners Join Together To Mark 15 Years Of Bringing Food Relief To Region

Newton, MA – March 31, 2026 – Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency that serves residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, commemorated its 15th anniversary with an evening about “Kindness in Action: Celebrating 15 Years of Impact” on Thursday, March 19 at Papa Razzi in Wellesley. Newport Restaurant Group, an ongoing valued supporter of Centre Street, generously hosted the evening with food and beverage choices from the culinary talent at Papa Razzi and Bar ‘Cino kitchens.

The room was full with approximately 125 supporters, staff, volunteers and community partners who took this opportunity to meet and exchange stories at Centre Street’s first “in person” event. It was a convivial gathering that highlighted the organization’s growth from a modest one-room operation to an efficient, effective agency with regional impact.

“Centre Street’s story illustrates the power of kindness in action, “ said Rose Saia, Executive Director. “We began due to the good intentions of a handful of people and are now sustained by an expansive group of volunteers, community partners and donors as one of the largest food relief distribution agencies in Eastern Massachusetts.”

Centre Street opened in 2011 and provided food to one dozen households per month. Growth was steady with Centre Street serving approximately 300 households per month by the end of 2019. In 2020, when the pandemic shut down many pantries, Centre Street pivoted to an outdoor, curbside pickup model, which resulted in doubling the number of households served in just two months. By the end of 2025, Centre Street was serving an average of 1,100 households every month.

Guests were delighted to witness the debut of a video that explored the history and evolution of the pantry, with candid vignettes from volunteers and staff, created by Current Frame Productions.

A highlight of the evening was Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy’s presentation of an Official Proclamation extending “congratulations and best wishes” to Centre Street “in recognition of 15 Years serving six Greater Boston Communities” and for its “continued contribution to the Waltham community.” Community partners present included Trinity Parish, The Greater Boston Food Bank, Spoonfuls, Three Squares New England, Hope and Comfort, Catholic Charities, Church of the Redeemer, Family Access, M&T Bank, and the Lasell University Empty Bowls Club.

“The Greater Boston Food Bank would like to thank and congratulate Centre Street Food Pantry for 15 years of empowering our neighbors with access to nutritious food,” said Michele Fronk Schuckel, Vice President of the Takeda Center for Community Health and Nutrition at The Greater Boston Food Bank. “We are impressed and inspired by the work of the Centre Street team, coming together to care for our most vulnerable residents in the six communities it serves. Centre Street is a vital part of the food bank's network of 600 food distribution partners that work every day to respond to a hunger crisis that affects more than 1 in 3 households in Massachusetts.”

During the event Taylor Lies, President of Centre Street’s Board of Directors, provided a peek into Centre Street’s plans for the future. “We have plans to grow, because the need for food for families living among us has grown,” said Mr. Lies. “Our vision is that one day we will no longer be needed. Until then, we remain committed to our mission and will explore ways to bring healthy, nutritious food to all who need it.”

Centre Street is looking for additional space to store and distribute food to residents in the communities it serves and once again is relying on the community to help materialize its plan for growth. “We’re willing to explore locations and program models that may be in partnership with other organizations or require us to obtain additional funding,” said Ms. Saia. “We know we’re surrounded by kind people who don’t want anyone to go hungry and are deeply grateful for their support.”

In addition to hosting the event, Newport Restaurant Group’s annual gift card promotion has yielded more than $20,000 in donations to the Centre Street Food Pantry over the last three years.

“It is an honor to be a partner of the Centre Street Food Pantry,” said Gary Morrison, Regional Manager, Newport Restaurant Group. “There is something incredibly powerful about neighbors helping neighbors and the community sharing a common belief that no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. That Centre Street can bring us all together to support their mission is a testament to the value of their work.”

About Newport Restaurant Group

Newport Restaurant Group’s award-winning portfolio of restaurants include Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring, 22 Bowen’s, Bar ‘Cino, La Vecina, and Smoke House all located in Newport; J.T. Commons in Middletown; Celeste in Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi in Wellesley, MA; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline, Watertown, and Westwood, MA.

Newport Restaurant Group’s mission is to provide the highest quality culinary experience in unique, service-oriented atmospheres and to create each menu with a creative, thoughtful, and responsible approach. Newport Restaurant Group is proudly 100% employee owned. For more information, please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

About Centre Street Food Pantry

Centre Street Food Pantry’s mission is to provide our communities with consistent and inclusive access to healthy food, with dignity and kindness. The nonprofit regional food relief agency is open weekly to assist residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley. Centre Street consistently provides a variety of fresh food and essential items to all who visit and has created special programs designed to meet the needs of senior citizens and children. For more information about these programs and others, as well as current initiatives, fundraising needs and news, please visit www.centrestfoodpantry.org or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Foley
Centre Street Food Pantry
d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org
508-272-0017 mobile

Kira Freytag 1/29/26 Kira Freytag 1/29/26

Centre Street Food Pantry Expands Appointment Model to Increase Families Served by 30% in 2026

Regional Food Relief Agency Launches New Birthday Program For Children, As It Marks 15 Years of Reducing Food Insecurity

Newton, MA – January 28, 2026 – Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency that serves residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, has announced that it is prepared to increase its monthly food distribution capacity by 30% in 2026 to meet the increased need for access to food for residents of these communities. The announcement comes as Centre Street completed its busiest year in 2025, having distributed one million pounds of food – enough to make 830,000 meals - and as the agency acknowledges its 15th year in operation. Due to the amount of food distributed by Centre Street, it is now a Greater Boston Food Bank strategic partner and one of the top 40 agencies in GBFB’s 650 member agency network.

Beginning in 2026, to provide increased access to food for those in need, Centre Street expanded its appointment model which allows clients to choose a time to visit the pantry during its weekly Tuesday distribution. This approach significantly boosts service day efficiency - allowing for better planning and speeding curbside distribution – so that Centre Street can serve more people. The increase in capacity will enable Centre Street to serve 1,450 households per month, up from its 2025 average of 1,100 households per month, which was already a record high for the organization.

“We are here to help anyone living in our communities who is struggling to have enough food for themselves and their families – and now due to federal government actions, there are many more people in this situation,” said Rose Saia, Executive Director. “2025 was our busiest year ever with over 13,000 household visits to the pantry, and now we have added more appointments and optimized the operation so that we can grow to serve up to 30% more in 2026.”

Centre Street began its operations in 2011, serving just 10 families per month, out of a former closet in the basement of Trinity Church. Within a few years, Centre Street moved to a larger room upstairs where clients chose foods from stocked shelves. By the time the pandemic broke, the agency was serving 300 households monthly, most of them senior citizens. The operation then pivoted to an outdoor curbside pickup model which resulted in doubling the number of households served in just two months. In 2025, of the 1,100 households Centre Street served every month, 65% were families with children.

“It’s impossible to count how many times since the pandemic that we have pivoted to meet the growing need,” said Saia. “I find it remarkable that we are still at the location where we started and are having this enormous impact. No one ever would have imagined it, and we are still a bit of a secret, even to our neighbors.”

Celebrating 15 Years In Operation

To mark its 15th year in operation, Centre Street has launched a “Kids Club Birthday Program” for children of pantry clients. Each month Centre Street will distribute bags that include cake mix, candles, frosting and sprinkles, so that parents can celebrate their child’s birthday.

“We started giving out these bags in January and I’m not sure who is enjoying this program the most: the parents, their children or the Centre Street team,” laughed Saia. “With food being so expensive, a birthday cake may now be an ‘extra’ purchase that isn’t affordable. I can’t think of a better way to acknowledge Centre Street’s 15th birthday than to be sure that thousands of children have a cake and candles to make a wish on their own birthday.”

About Centre Street Food Pantry

MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Foley

Centre Street Food Pantry

d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org

508-272-0017 mobile

Vikram Krishnamachari 10/30/25 Vikram Krishnamachari 10/30/25

Centre Street Food Pantry Announces Expanded Hours To Serve More In Response To Pending Snap Cuts

Regional Food Relief Agency Anticipates Client Visits To Increase By 35%

NEWTON, MA - October 30, 2025 - Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency that serves residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, has announced its response to the pending cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Access Program) and other hardships created due to the government shutdown. Centre Street will expand its hours, provide additional Thanksgiving items, and stock as much food as possible to provide fresh produce, dairy and meal-making groceries to those in need.

Centre Street typically serves 1,100 households a month (each a unique visit) and is preparing to serve upwards of 1,500 households starting in November - an increase of 35%. To meet the anticipated increase in families seeking food in November, Centre Street will be:

Extending its weekly Tuesday service days to include an additional half hour for those who cannot make an appointment.
Extending its Saturday service day by one hour.
Offering all families something extra such as a pie, a roast chicken or a turkey (according to household size), as well as holiday foods as they are available (stuffing, cranberry sauce, brown sugar) in addition to a full complement of groceries that include fresh sliced bread and heaping bags of produce.

“Centre Street has been a consistent source of nutritious food for thousands of people in six Greater Boston communities - Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley - for nearly 15 years,” said Rose Saia, Executive Director of Centre Street Food Pantry. “We are one of the Greater Boston Food Bank’s largest distribution partners and also receive regular fresh food donations from Spoonfuls, Trader Joe’s Newton and Iggy’s Bread of the World. We then purchase what more is needed from produce and dairy wholesalers. With this sourcing foundation, we are ready to provide food for over 5,000 people next month – 65% of them will be families with children.”

The Pantry’s updated service hours are:

Every Tuesday in November:

1-2PM - Senior Citizen households

2-3:30PM - All Households by appointment

3:30-5:30 - First come, first served (extended hours)

5:30PM-6PM - All Households by appointment

Third Saturday in November:

10AM-1PM - All Households, first come, first served (extended hours)

Residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham Watertown and Wellesley are eligible to visit Centre Street Food Pantry even if they receive groceries from another food agency.

“As we get ready to do more for those in need this holiday season – and beyond – we are grateful to the caring members of our communities who get involved or donate to Centre Street Food Pantry and other emergency food distribution agencies,” Saia continued.

To give a financial donation or to find out how to donate a turkey for a family in November please visit Centre Street Food Pantry’s website: www.centrestreetfoodpantry.org.

About Centre Street Food Pantry

Centre Street Food Pantry’s mission is to provide our communities with consistent and inclusive access to healthy food, with kindness and dignity. The nonprofit regional food relief agency is open weekly to assist residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley. Centre Street consistently provides a variety of fresh food and essential items to all who visit and has created special programs designed to meet the needs of senior citizens and children. For more information about these programs and others, as well as current initiatives, fundraising needs and news, please visit www.centrestfoodpantry.org or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

Media Contact:

Centre Street Food Pantry

Dan Foley

508-272-0017

d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org

# # #

Centre Street Food Pantry 10/30/25 Centre Street Food Pantry 10/30/25

Centre Street Food Pantry Announces New Distribution Programs To Reduce Local Food Insecurity

Collaboration with Partners Brings Food Deeper Into Communities It Serves

Newton, MA – August 25, 2025 – Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency that is open to residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, is proud to announce new distribution programs that will make food easier to access in the communities that it serves. In partnership with Healthy Waltham, Brandeis University’s Office of Student Support, and Family ACCESS, Centre Street will be bringing more food to residents of Waltham and Newton or anyone who relies upon these organizations.

Every month, Centre Street Food Pantry serves an average of 1,100 households that include over 4,000 people who visit their Newton location and bring home bags of fresh produce, dairy, eggs, frozen proteins and groceries. “The need is greater than this,” said Rose Saia, Centre Street’s Executive Director, “especially today with federal cuts to food programs combined with high costs of food and housing. Our challenge is to find ways to be more available to those in need, and I’m grateful that these program partners have given us a way to do so.”

The program partners include:

Healthy Waltham. Centre Street Food Pantry will be at Healthy Waltham’s August 28 pantry service on Cherry Street to offer an assortment of “back to school” Kids Club foods to approximately 400 families. Centre Street’s Kids Club program runs year round and provides all families with children a grocery bag of shelf-stable foods that kids like to eat for breakfast and lunch. The Kids Club Program adds a “fresh” bag in the summer that includes sandwich rolls, deli meats, cheese, milk, yogurt and fresh fruit so that all children have a nutritious lunch available at home. The Kids Club Fresh program will have provided 12,000 lunches to local children by the end of the summer.

Brandeis University Dean of Students Office. This Fall, Centre Street will be providing food to the on-campus food pantry which is available to any student and serves as a particularly important resource for graduate students and their families. Centre Street will provide shelf stable foods so that Brandeis student volunteers are able to stock the pantry, pack and distribute bags of food as needed.

Family ACCESS. In an ongoing partnership, Centre Street supplies shelf-stable food to Family ACCESS, a community-based non-profit organization that provides services and programs that promote working parents and promote effective parenting, early literacy, and school readiness skills. Family ACCESS’s clients can obtain the food onsite at its West Newton location and staff can bring essential food to clients on home visits. Family ACCESS works with clients in Newton, Waltham and surrounding communities.

About Healthy Waltham

Healthy Waltham’s mission is to promote collaborative approaches to improving the health and wellness of underserved and low-income populations through programs that increase access to healthy foods, provide nutrition education, and create opportunities for physical activity. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, its primary focus has been alleviating food insecurity by operating a twice monthly food pantry which serves 1,000 households outdoors at the Fitch School located 5 Cherry Street. It plans to open an indoor community market at 123 Felton Street at the beginning of 2026.

About Centre Street Food Pantry

# # #

Media Contacts:

Centre Street Food Pantry

Dan Foley

508-272-0017

d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org

Healthy Waltham

BJ Osuagwe

Executive Director

(508) 282-7758

bj@healthy-waltham.org

Centre Street Food Pantry 10/30/25 Centre Street Food Pantry 10/30/25

Bar ‘Cino Watertown to Hold Sweet Fundraiser for Centre Street Food Pantry

50% of dessert sales August 17th - 31st to be contributed to the “No Child Hungry This Summer” Program

Warwick, RI – August 14, 2025 – Bar ‘Cino, located at 47 Main Street in Watertown, is pleased to announce a new fundraising effort to support the Centre Street Food Pantry, a local food relief agency serving Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown, and Wellesley. From August 17th though August 31st, 50% of dessert sales will be donated to the Centre Street Food Pantry’s “No Child Hungry This Summer” program.

In a survey of families who visit Centre Street Food Pantry, more than half reported that their children did not receive subsidized meals in the summer, while the remainder who brought their children to an approved meal site said they came home and were still hungry. In response, the Centre Street Food Pantry has held the “No Child Hungry This Summer” fundraising campaign each of the last four summers to raise funds to provide lunch food items to approximately 1,400 children each month from June through September.

“We are so grateful to the work that the Centre Street Food Pantry does for families in need and humbled to have the opportunity to support their efforts,” said Gary Morrison, Regional Manager, Newport Restaurant Group. “We know that our incredible guests will rally around this initiative to ensure no child in our community goes hungry.”

"Parents get so excited when they see what's in our Kids Club Fresh lunch bag," said Rose Saia, Executive Director, Centre Street Food Pantry. "They say that we are providing exactly what their kids like and will eat. Sadly, they also tell me how hard it is to buy enough food for their kids, and that summer school meals aren't accessible or substantial enough to alleviate their hunger. The addition of chocolate milk this year to all the other fresh items is a huge hit! The support of partners like Newport Restaurant Group allow us to consistently provide this nutritious food to our families with children."

Each of Bar ‘Cino’s seasonal desserts are eligible during the fundraiser, and include Pistachio Ricotta Cake, Limoncello Mascarpone Cake, Tiramisu, Chocolate Budino Amaretti Tart, Affagato with espresso, Amaro, and vanilla gelato, and a selection of Gelato, including pistachio, salted caramel, and vanilla. To make a reservation, visit www.barcino.com.

The Centre Street Food Pantry is also a recipient of Newport Restaurant Group’s annual Gift Card Donation Program.

About Centre Street Food Pantry

About Bar ‘Cino:

Bar ‘Cino offers guests a casual and authentic Italian bar experience, with a playful beverage program of wines and inspired cocktails complemented by a menu of simple, flavorful fare, including grilled pizzas, fresh salads, and share plates inspired by Italian countryside cooking.

With locations in Newport, RI, and Brookline, Watertown and Westwood, MA, Bar ‘Cino’s lively bar and a menu that highlights the green and white of the Italian flag more than the red, draws a great crowd nightly – from neighbors and after work folks, to local professionals, and university students. For more information, visit www.barcino.com.

About Newport Restaurant Group:

Newport Restaurant Group’s award-winning portfolio of restaurants are located across Rhode Island and include Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Bar ‘Cino, La Vecina, and Smoke House all located in Newport; Celeste in Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi in Wellesley, MA; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline, Watertown, and Westwood, MA. Newport Restaurant Group’s mission is to provide the highest quality culinary experience in unique, service-oriented atmospheres and to create each menu with a creative, thoughtful, and responsible approach. Newport Restaurant Group is proudly 100% employee owned. For more information, please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

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Dan Foley 3/24/25 Dan Foley 3/24/25

Newport Restaurant Group Donates $71,000 to Local Nonprofits through 2024 Gift Card Donation Program

Brookline Food Pantry, The Food Project in Dorchester, and the Centre Street Pantry in Newton Among the Recipients

(Warwick, RI) – March 3, 2025 – Newport Restaurant Group (NRG), an award-winning collection of unique restaurants and hospitality venues located throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that it has donated $71,142 to local nonprofits as a result of its annual, year-round gift card program, exceeding last year’s fundraising total by more than $7,000. Through the program, $2.00 from every gift card purchase is donated to area nonprofits fighting food insecurity. Since the program’s inception in 2019, more than $285,000 has been distributed to local agencies.

“We are grateful to again partner with so many incredible organizations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts that make such a significant impact within our local communities,” said Mick Lamond, President and Chief Executive Officer, Newport Restaurant Group. “Supporting their work is an honor, and certainly an annual highlight for all of us. Thank you to our loyal guests who support this program year after year; without their participation, this program would not be possible.”

The 2024 recipients include the Brookline Food Pantry, The Food Project, and Centre Street Food Pantry in Massachusetts and the Aquidneck Community Table, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, RI Community Food Bank, and Hope’s Harvest in Rhode Island.

In addition to the financial support, NRG employee owners volunteer with these organizations throughout the year in a variety of ways.

“Centre Street Food Pantry is thrilled to be the recipient of the Newport Restaurant Group's gift card program, which is a trendsetting example of how an independent business can engage with the community to help others,” said Rose Saia, Executive Director of Centre Street Food Pantry. “This donation will provide hundreds of families who rely upon us every week with fresh milk, fruits and vegetables, as well as nutritious food for children in our Kids Club program bags. It is an honor to be recognized by NRG and to receive their compassionate and generous support.”

The 2025 gift card program is ongoing and gift cards can be purchased at any NRG property or online at www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

About Newport Restaurant Group:

Newport Restaurant Group’s award-winning portfolio of hospitality venues are located across Rhode Island and include Castle Hill Inn, The Bohlin, The Mooring, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Bar ‘Cino, La Vecina, and Smoke House all located in Newport; Celeste in Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi in Wellesley, MA; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline, Watertown, and Westwood, MA. Newport Restaurant Group is one of New England’s leading hospitality companies, anchored by unparalleled hospitality, award-winning culinary and a commitment to the communities in which they serve. Newport Restaurant Group is proudly 100% employee owned. For more information, please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

Dan Foley 8/27/24 Dan Foley 8/27/24

Centre Street Food Pantry Receives Grant Award From Cummings Foundation

Regional Food Relief Agency Will Hire A Program Manager To Expand Its Impact

Newton, MA – July 24, 2024 - Newton, MA - Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency located in Newton Centre, announces that it has been awarded a $120,000 grant through the Cummings Foundation’s 2024 annual program. Awarded over a three-year period, the grant will help to fund the addition of a Program Manager.

“Last year, two full-time staff oversaw hundreds of volunteers and sourced over 850,000 pounds of food, which we distributed in 55,000 bags of groceries,” said Rose Saia, Executive Director. “The Cummings Foundation grant will fund the hiring of a Program Manager so that we can expand our reach by developing and introducing programs to meet the diverse needs of those who we serve. It’s an honor to be selected to receive this grant, and I am awed by the example set by Bill and Joyce Cummings who give back by empowering nonprofits to make a greater impact.”

Centre Street Food Pantry is available to residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley, serving an average of 1,100 households per month that includes over 4,000 people. Despite exponential growth since the pandemic, with Centre Street now serving 20% more people this year than last year, the organization has held true to its mission to provide consistent and inclusive access to healthy food, with dignity and kindness. Its Grocery and Kids Club programs include culturally common pantry staples as well as a high percentage of fresh foods that include fruits, vegetables, dairy and enough frozen proteins for several meals.

Centre Street is one of 150 local nonprofits that will share in $30 million through Cummings Foundation’s major annual grants program. The organization was selected from a total of 715 applicants during a competitive review process. This year’s grant recipients represent a wide variety of causes, including housing and food insecurity, workforce development, immigrant services, social justice, education, and mental health services. The nonprofits are spread across 49 different Massachusetts cities and towns.

“Greater Boston is fortunate to have a robust, dedicated, and highly capable nonprofit sector that supports and enhances the community in myriad ways,” said Cummings Foundation executive director and trustee Joyce Vyriotes. “The entire Cummings organization is thankful for their daily work to help all our neighbors thrive.”

Cummings Foundation has now awarded $500 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners, plus nearly 2,000 previous recipients, is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

About Cummings Foundation
Woburn-based Cummings Foundation, Inc. was established in 1986 by Joyce and Bill Cummings of Winchester, MA and has grown to be one of the largest private foundations in New England. The Foundation directly operates its own charitable subsidiaries, including New Horizons retirement communities, in Marlborough and Woburn, and Cummings Health Sciences, LLC. Additional information is available at www.CummingsFoundation.org.

About Centre Street Food Pantry
Centre Street Food Pantry’s mission is to provide our communities with consistent and inclusive access to healthy food, with kindness and dignity. The nonprofit regional food relief agency is open weekly to assist residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley. Centre Street consistently provides a variety of fresh food and essential items to all who visit and has created special programs designed to meet the needs of senior citizens and children. For more information about these programs and others, as well as current initiatives, fundraising needs and news, please visit www.centrestfoodpantry.org or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Foley
Centre Street Food Pantry
d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org
508-272-0017 mobile

Vikram Krishnamachari 5/28/19 Vikram Krishnamachari 5/28/19

Centre Street Food Pantry Announces Grant From Greater Boston Food Bank

Funds Will Support CSFP’s “No Child Hungry This Summer” Campaign

Newton, MA – June 25, 2024 - Newton, MA - Centre Street Food Pantry, a nonprofit regional food relief agency located in Newton Centre, announces that it received a $9,525 community investment grant from The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). The grant funds will be applied to purchase new refrigerators which will have an immediate impact on Centre Street’s “No Child Hungry This Summer” campaign.

Through its ambitious No Child Hungry campaign, Centre Street will provide its clients with children an additional bag of fresh food suitable for children’s lunches each time they visit the pantry. The additional bag will include milk, sandwich rolls, cheese, deli meat, and fruits.

“The Greater Boston Food Bank’s community investment grant will help Centre Street give children fresh food for lunch this summer,” said Rose Saia, Executive Director of Centre Street Food Pantry. “We know that many families with children need and appreciate this healthy food, and we’re grateful that we have the support of Greater Boston Food Bank and all the generous donors to our No Child Hungry Summer campaign who make it possible for us to reduce food insecurity in the six communities we serve.”

Centre Street Food Pantry’s No Child Hungry Campaign is in its third summer and is a supplement to its Kids Club program, which runs all year long and provides an extra dry grocery bag of kid friendly food for breakfast, lunch and snacks to every family with children. More than 60% of the families Centre Street serves have children and the agency provides healthy food for approximately 1,400 children each month.

The grant award coincides with GBFB’s fourth annual report on food insecurity, equity and access in Massachusetts. The 2024 study, “Opportunities to Improve Food Equity & Access in Massachusetts,” reveals consistently high rates of food insecurity in the state and sustained disparities in food access for communities of color and households with children. The study estimates approximately 1.9 million adults in Massachusetts are food insecure, an increase from last year’s estimated 1.8 million adults, and that in 2023 one in three Massachusetts households with children reported child-level food insecurity, meaning a child went hungry, skipped a meal or didn’t eat for an entire day because there wasn’t enough money for food.

“GBFB’s network of dedicated agency partners continue to inspire us to be innovative in our efforts to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. “With sustained inequities in food access across our region, we aim to continue to invest in those communities facing a heightened need for food and drive progress towards hunger relief through strategic grantmaking to our network of agency partners.”

About The Greater Boston Food Bank

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. As the food bank for Eastern Massachusetts, GBFB is feeding people in 190 towns across the region, distributing the equivalent of nearly 90 million meals through a network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs. A member of the national Feeding America network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here. The organization remains committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617-427-5200.

About Centre Street Food Pantry

Centre Street Food Pantry’s mission is to provide our communities with consistent and inclusive access to healthy food, with kindness and dignity. The nonprofit regional food relief agency is open weekly to assist residents of Brookline, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Wellesley. Centre Street consistently provides a variety of fresh food and essential items to all who visit, and has created special programs designed to meet the needs of senior citizens and children. For more information about these programs and others, as well as current initiatives, fundraising needs and news, please visit www.centrestfoodpantry.org or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.

# # #

MEDIA CONTACT

Dan Foley

Centre Street Food Pantry

d.foley@centrestfoodpantry.org

508-272-0017 mobile

Vikram Krishnamachari 5/28/19 Vikram Krishnamachari 5/28/19

Newport Restaurant Group Donates $64,000 To Local Nonprofits Through 2023 Gift Card Program

Brookline Food Pantry, The Food Project in Dorchester, and the Centre Street Pantry in Newton Among the Recipients

(Warwick, RI) – March 28, 2024 – Newport Restaurant Group (NRG), an award-winning collection of unique restaurants and hospitality venues located throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that it has donated $64,000 to local nonprofits as a result of its annual, year-round gift card program, exceeding last year’s fundraising total by more than $4,000. Through the program, $2.00 from every gift card purchase is donated to area nonprofits fighting food insecurity. Since the program’s inception in 2019, more than $214,000 has been distributed to local agencies.

“So many of our neighbors face food insecurity on a daily basis, and we are grateful to the wonderful organizations in our region that work tirelessly to provide relief,” said Paul O’Reilly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Newport Restaurant Group. “We are honored to have the opportunity to support this work, and we thank our incredible guests without whom this donation would not be possible.”

The 2023 recipients include the Brookline Food Pantry, The Food Project, and Centre Street Food Pantry in Massachusetts and the Aquidneck Community Table, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, RI Community Food Bank, and Hope’s Harvest in Rhode Island.

In addition to the financial support, NRG employee owners volunteer with these organizations throughout the year in a variety of ways.

"Centre Street Food Pantry is so thankful to Newport Restaurant Group and their Watertown Bar 'Cino team for their generous financial donation,” said Taylor Lies, President of the Board of Directors at The Centre Street Pantry. “I was so impressed with their dedication to local communities, and it is clear they share Centre Street's values of kindness, service and gratitude. Their donation will have an immediate impact in our local communities where, sadly, food insecurity continues to rise."

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The 2024 gift card program is ongoing and gift cards can be purchased at any NRG property or online at www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

Photo Caption (courtesy of Newport Restaurant Group):

Centre Street Pantry, Newton: Taylor Lies, President of the Board of Directors at the Centre Street Pantry (in green), discusses the initiatives Newport Restaurant Group’s donation will support with Bryan Parkin, General Manager at Bar ‘Cino Watertown (in brown) at a recent service day at the pantry.

About Newport Restaurant Group:

Newport Restaurant Group’s award-winning portfolio of restaurants are located across Rhode Island and include Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Bar ‘Cino, and Smoke House all located in Newport; Celeste in Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi in Wellesley, MA; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline and Watertown, MA. Newport Restaurant Group’s mission is to provide the highest quality culinary experience in unique, service-oriented atmospheres and to create each menu with a creative, thoughtful, and responsible approach. Newport Restaurant Group is proudly 100% employee-owned. For more information, please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.