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
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
