Newsletter
Summer 2017 
 
Relieving hunger. Nourishing lives.
  
Dear Friends,

Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day operations of filling our shelves wit h enough nutritious food and household necessities for our clients, we forget about the real impact of what we do.  Sure, we have been busy  distributing 252,719 pounds of food last year to the 1,016 individuals we serve.  Yes, we feel good about providing our clients with fresh a nd nut r ie nt-rich foods. And we are thrilled when our shelves are stocked with the most sought-after essentials not covered by Food Stamps - toilet paper, laundry detergent and paper tow els.

But what happens outside of the Pantry walls? When those groceries are unpacked an d  p ut away. When there's enough food on the table at mealtime. When our clients are not so distracted by hunger that they  can function. With every pound of food we provide, our neighbors impacted by hunge r have hope that:  
  • They can afford to pay for basic needs, like rent, healthcare and heat
  • They can focus on helping their kids with their homework
  • Their children will do better in school and make friends
  • They'll have the energy to look for a job
  • Their elderly parents won't have to choose between buying food or medicine
With more than
1,000 individuals seeking food assistance from the Franklin Food Pantry, the level and impact of hunger in Franklin is a reality.
The 294 children and 140 seniors we serve are our neighbors, co-workers, relatives and friends. For many, we make their difficult circumstances more bearable; for some, we help them get back on their feet and become self-sufficient again.

Whatever the impact, the bottom line is that a hunger-free community is a stronger community. We are fortunate to have the support of many, like you, to help our neighbors in need through tough times. By continuing to work together to end hunger, we will make our community healthier. Thank you for helping us give hope.

Warmly,

Erin
 

Senior Bag Program: A Little Bit Extra Makes a Big Difference  

Sixty-four percent of the seniors who count on the Pantry live alone. Nearly 40 percent live in subsidized housing. Most are on a fixed income and struggle to pay for basic needs like utilities, rent and medicine. For many of the seniors we serve, some relief comes in the form of a brown paper bag filled with supplemental necessities to help them get by each month.

"We were not aware there was such a need until we started the Brown Bag
Youth volunteers Tom (left) and Nate assemble bags of food for seniors.
Program as part of a pilot with the Greater Boston Food Bank," said Molly Kilburn, information and resources coordinator for the Pantry. "We modified the program to address the specific needs of our own seniors, and they are very excited about it. It's amazing how much difference one extra bag of food can make."

Some senior bags are picked up by clients, but many are delivered to Mobile Pantry sites in town. Many elderly have difficulty getting to the Pantry because of a disability or decreased mobility. Typical bags include apple juice, cereal, vegetables, spaghetti, chicken soup and applesauce - items clients requested.

"And sometimes we can throw in a special treat, like raisins and cookies, which lights up their faces," adds Molly. "They look forward to this bag of essentials every month."

The Senior Bags are available in addition to the full choice shopping options that we offer clients.  Often, just a little bit extra can make a big difference.


"It has eased my budget for groceries quite a bit. I know I have food on the shelf and do not have to worry about stocking up when a storm is coming."



"Volunteers do not necessarily have the time;
they have the heart." 

- Elizabeth Andrew 
Volunteers Dave and Sue Strittmatter, along with granddaughter Annabelle, help out at Healthy Kids Day.


Whether they are unloading trucks, carrying bags of groceries to cars o n a rainy day, neatly organizing inventory for the next shopping day, picking up donated goods from Panera Bread, or helping clients choose nutritious food, Franklin Food Pantry volunteers are at the heart of Pantry operations.

Truck drivers. Stockers. Client services helpers. Food sorters. Date-checkers. Administrative support staff. Volunteers working together to process more than 250,000 pounds of food last year for our neighbors in need.

 "We couldn't do it without them," says Executive Director Erin Lynch. "There is a lot of work that happens behind the scenes to help the families we serve. Our community counted on us for more than 22,500 bags of groceries last year. We have an incredible team of volunteers who 
were responsible for making that happen."

In 2016, 155 volunteers gave 5,720 hours to help us fulfill our mission. Many worked every week, and some several times a week. A dozen earned the distinguished President's Volunteer Service Award for their extraordinary amount of time given to the Pantry. The award is given "in recognition and appreciation for their commitment to strengthen our nation and communities through volunteer service."

2016 President's Volunteer Service Award* Winners

Gold Awards (more than 500 hours of service)
Sue Strittmatter, Executive Assistant
Maria Weiss, Volunteer Coordinator

Silver Award (250 - 499 hours of service)
Molly Kilburn, Information and Resources Coordinator

Bronze Awards (100 - 249 hours of service)
Amy Cataldo,  Special Projects Coordinator
Dan Davis, Transport Volunteer and Code Specialist
Amber Deering,  Stocker
Donna O'Neill, Client Services Trainer
Mary Ann Oppenheimer,  Client Services
Kym Pruitt, Client Services and Lead Stocker
Pamela Rodrigues, Client Services
Liz Shishkoff, Lead Stocker and Senior Bag Program
Dave Strittmatter,  Driver

Thank you all for your extraordinary service!!


*The President's Volunteer Service Award is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. Through a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the President's Volunteer Service Award celebrates the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world.


(From left) Sarah Bennett, BJ's receiving supervisor, and Virginia Beals, DDR supervisor, assist Dan Davis, Pantry transport volunteer and code specialist, and Suzanne Walsh, Pantry food transport coordinator, with their bi-weekly pickup of donated goods from BJs Franklin #105.
Retail Partners Spice up Pantry Offerings 

Some say variety is the spice of life. For clients who shop at the Pantry, variety makes them smile. It can turn a bad day into a better one. It can come in the form of an extra-special treat many families don't have the budget to splurge on.

Thanks to the generous donations of our retail partners, we are able to offer a nice variety of food and products to our clients. In addition to the many items we count on regularly to supplement the food we purchase, like meat and chicken, our grocery partners provide us with special items that we don't buy. The donations of bakery items, premade sandwiches, quinoa salads, packaged meals, and cut-up fruits offer many options for our clients.

"Our retail partners make it more of a true shopping experience for our clients," says Sue Kilcoyne, pantry operations manager. "The element of surprise each day makes the experience brighter. They'll say, 'Ooh, you have frozen pizza today.' 'Oh, you have ice cream!' Or even, 'Those chocolates will be such a special treat!' Being able to supplement our core inventory with these specialty items makes a big difference in the lives of our clients."

We receive an average of 6,500 pounds of product donations from our retail partners each month. These partner donations account for 50 percent of the total amount of food that is donated. Although we still count on monetary donations to purchase enough food to meet our clients' needs, we would have so much less to offer them without the support of our retail partners.
We are grateful to the following retail partners for their generous food donations:
  • Big Y Franklin*
  • BJ's Wholesale Club*
  • Panera Bread Franklin
  • Shaw's Supermarket Franklin*
  • Stop & Shop Franklin
  • Stop & Shop Mansfield
  • Whole Foods Market Bellingham
*We owe special thanks to the Greater Boston Food Bank for our partnership with these grocers. Because we are a member agency of the GBFB, our relationship with these food retailers is made even stronger.

What a Night!

Our 2nd Annual Empty Bowls Dinner on May 2 was a huge success. Thanks to all who supported this event to help end hunger in our community. Learn more and enjoy some photos from this special evening.

Franklin Letter Carriers
Stamp Out Hunger
Community responds to needs of Pantry

The Franklin Letter Carriers delivered nearly 9,000 pounds of goods to the Franklin Food Pantry during the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 13. We are truly thankful for the overwhelming response of our neighbors, with special thanks to the dozens of volunteers who came out to help us sort and organize the donations. A true community effort!

The community came out strong in response to the Pantry's request for specific items in this year's drive. Thank you for meeting our needs!


If you were unable to participate in Stamp Out Hunger, consider making a monetary donation online to help us purchase fresh food, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats. We can turn these canned and boxed food donations into wholesome and complete meals for our families. Thank you!

Additional leadership gift and corporate sponsor opportunities available,
for details please email Erin Lynch [email protected]

Franklin Food Pantry        www.franklinfoodpantry.org 

Our facility is generously donated by Rockland Trust.
We are located at 43 West Central Street, Franklin MA,
on Route 140 in the Rockland Trust parking lot, 
across the street from the fire station.