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

Try to imagine how you feel on an empty stomach. A really empty stomach. You do not have access to a quick snack or fast-food restaurant to satisfy your hunger immediately. You are completely distracted by how hungry you feel and cannot focus on anything. Work. School. Chores. What your kids are saying.

As part of this year's Hunger Action Month campaign in September, Feeding America asks people to consider the universal feeling of an empty stomach. How, on an empty stomach, we cannot reach our full potential. Our ability to think clearly and be productive is limited.

The Franklin Food Pantry offers access to healthy, fresh and nutritious food so that our most vulnerable neighbors  can reach their full potential. With enough food to eat, the more than 1,000 individuals we serve can focus on their daily responsibilities and relationships. Our neighbors can find joy in their lives, free from hunger.
But we do not do this alone. We count on you, our supporters and community, to help us make a difference. Join us during Hunger Action Month and help us spread the word about hunger and take action to fight it.

Learn more about the impact of hunger on our families in Franklin.

Become a monthly recurring donor  to help us battle hunger year-round.
 
Share your story or tell us about someone you know who has experienced hunger.

 to your friends to help spread the word.

Follow us on Facebook to be alerted on urgent needs and volunteer openings. 

During Hunger Action Month, we celebrate all those who are able to
get back on their feet again because they are not hungry any more.

Help us celebrate.

Warmly,

Erin
 

Paying It Forward

J ohn May and his family counted on the Pantry's help 16 years ago. Today, the Pantry counts on him. As a
monthly recurring donor, John is paying it forward by helping our families in need all year long. Here is John's story:

"I started my monthly pledge about a year ago. I learned about the Pantry 16 years ago after my wife and I moved here and hit an
unforeseen financial disaster after a few months. I lost my job and she was hospitalized with an illness all in the same month. The Pantry helped us out for a couple of weeks. Fast forward 16 years and we're doing well, our kids are grown and leading happy, successful lives, all because  for a short time when we needed it, our community supported us.  I used to donate canned goods during drives but now that I know more about the actual logistics of food (storage, distribution, and how supermarkets work), it's far more effective to send a donation of cash and the Food Pantry can really stretch those dollars more.  

I am now semi-retired from a career in the forklift business, and I work part-time in the produce department at Wegmans in Northborough. 

I decided on a monthly donation because need has no season and families need to eat 52 weeks a year.  

It's the way to go for the aforementioned reasons and it does not have to be a big amount. You won't even miss it.  

If even a small percentage of Franklin homes pledged $5 a month through the automatic donation feature on the pantry's website, that would be a tremendous help for our fellow citizens in need at a time of crisis. We brag about being listed as one of the safest small towns in the USA, why not be the most caring as well? "

John May




Hunger Has No Season
Monthly automatic donations help families all year long

During the holiday season, we benefit from a very generous community. The Food Pantry is top-of-mind with so many people in our town who want to help others in need. With Thanksgiving approaching, we are already getting calls from caring community members who are asking how they can help out.

While we are always grateful for any support at any time of the year, our families count on us during every season. Many of our donors choose to support the Pantry year-round by setting up automatic, monthly donations. Ongoing support allows us to provide fresh and nutritious food EVERY month of the year. By making a recurring gift, you can sustain our work all year long, especially during those months when donations are scarce.

Please join our group of monthly supporters. Help us buy what we need when we need it. You can make your donation online right now.  Thank you!


 
Pantry Volunteers Making a Difference
Meet one of our selfish volunteers

Pat Llewellyn says she volunteers for the Pantry because  "she is selfish." This seems like an odd statement coming from this 84-year-old who has been picking up donations from BJ's for 18 years and delivering them to the Pantry. 

" Every mother who raises children has a job to do. When they leave home, you get to a point where you want to feel wanted. Volunteering makes me feel wanted. That's why I say I am selfish."

Pat is one of 155 volunteers who serve the Pantry every year. We count on volunteers to help in the daily operations of the Pantry. They work directly with clients, pick up food from local grocers and farms, stock and organize shelves, unload trucks, and assist with the Mobile Pantry and Senior Bag Program. These operations positions usually require a daily, weekly or monthly commitment.

We are grateful to Pat and so many others who help serve our neighbors in need.



News Briefs

Meet our Board of Directors - the Pantry is governed by a committed group of leaders, all serving on a  volunteer basis to further our mission.  Learn more about these dedicated individuals.

Food and Fund Drive - we are approaching our busy season for Food and Fund Drives. If your organization is planning a drive, please make sure you register online and use our Tool Kit. It offers some tips for a successful event, and it helps ensure we have enough volunteers on hand to process and store the donation deliveries. Thank you!

Franklin Turkey Trot - Save the Date!  - Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, so dust off those running shoes and prepare for the big event on November 23. Like our Facebook Page now so that you will be notified as soon as the online registration opens.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter - If you are not already on our list, please visit our home page and sign-up to receive our quarterly newsletter. Stay informed about how our community is helping to end hunger and make an impact on our neighbors in need.

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.