April 9, 2025 Newsletter
MARCH UPDATE
In March, our volunteers served an average of 315 households requesting food assistance each week. In total, they filled 1,261 food requests, picking and packing 4,819 bags of nutritious food weighing a total of 45,148 lbs. Together, we assisted 3,060 people in our 7 neighboring communities.
A total of 423 different households requested assistance during the month, which was an average of 2.98 times per household. This included 180 1-person households, which is 42.6% of all of the households we served. There were also 17 households with 44 total members who requested food for the first time in March.
Our volunteers visited participating grocery stores and restaurants 7 days a week and schools on Friday to collect 11,691 lbs. of donated food that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT : FRIDAY EXPEDITORS
Expediters are the heartbeat of the Pantry operation on Friday. They pace the shoppers' work, redirect activities when there are backups, keep track of orders and oversee the collection of bag counts. Most of our expediters have worked with the Pantry since before COVID and have seen the job expand over the years. They are well known by other volunteers and quick with a smile even in the most pressured situations.
And here they are....
Top Left - Harriet Tolpin
Top Right - Karin Leppanen
Middle Left - Anne Bourbeau
Middle Right - Kelly Neelon
Bottom Left - Mary Brinkeroff
Bottom Right - Barbara Fernald
Also, not picture here - Barbara Hileman.
Two of our delivery drivers were unable to be included in last month's Volunteer Spotlight, Diann May and Henry Eaton. Thank you both for your dedication to the pantry and our guests.
FUNDRAISERS PAST & FUTURE, DRIVES AND DONATIONS
Anna Jacques Hospital's Nutrition Month Food Drive donated what they received to the pantry
Newburyport Lion's Club food drive will be held at Market Basket in Newburyport on May 3
March 27 Vintage Vino Wine Dinner event brought in $1,750 to the food pantry
Lighthouse Thrift Store Donation- The thrift store on Bridge Rd. in Salisbury, has recently changed ownership and has been renamed Lighthouse Thrift Store. As part of their mission, the store regularly donates some of their proceeds to local non-profits and has contributed to First Parish Newbury Food Pantry. Mary Murray, FPNFP treasurer, recently received a check for $1,000 from, Jonathan Werner, President of the Lighthouse Thrift Store (photo below). He indicated that First Parish Newbury Food Pantry will receive regular contributions from them.
How cuts to USDA have affected the Greater Boston Food Bank, Nurturing The North Shore, and other food assistance organizations in Massachusetts.
Every year, one in three residents of Massachusetts faces food insecurity.
The Trump administration has terminated over $3 million in USDA food assistance to Massachusetts, including $2.3 million earmarked for the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB).
These reductions will adversely affect more than 600,000 individuals who depend on monthly food assistance from one of the 600 food pantries operating within Massachusetts. Additionally, two critical initiatives, the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperation Agreement Program, have been discontinued. These programs previously allocated over $1 billion to states, schools, and various organizations to purchase food from local farms.
Our partner organization, Nourishing the North Shore, received over $180,000 from these programs, which facilitated the purchase of more than 75,000 pounds from Essex County farms for distribution through hunger relief organizations, including the First Parish Newbury Food Pantry. This represents more than 25% of their budget.
Although the First Parish Newbury Food Pantry does not receive direct federal funding, the impact on our partner organizations is substantial. According to the GBFB, the school program cuts alone will affect more than 75,000 students.
We remain optimistic about the generosity of our community. In collaboration with local businesses, foundations, individual donors, and community partners, we are committed to providing healthy, fresh food with compassion and respect to all who are in need.
LORETTA FUNDRAISER
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 starting at 5PM
Our Loretta fundraiser continues… Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Starting at 5 pm, Loretta will donate part of the proceeds to the Pantry. Plan on dinner out (take out or eat in). You'll see a lot of familiar faces as the community turns out to support our work. We suggest that you make reservations in advance.
A RECENT COMMENT FROM ONE OF OUR GUESTS
"I appreciate the way the food is packed and delivered. It makes me feel I am getting special and expensive food. I feel I have a social connection with the food pantry because you take such care."
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
As our work has expanded to help more neighbors in our community, our need for volunteers has increased. Volunteer opportunities include calling our guests to take their orders on Wednesday, staffing four shifts throughout the day on Friday to fulfill grocery orders for our guests, and assisting in the occasional Food Drive or other special projects on Saturdays.
Here is what our volunteers are saying:
"It’s a real pleasure to work in concert with such friendly, organized people. I loved the fast pace and the way the hours raced by."
"Such an awesome organization. So glad to be a part of this community effort."
"I really enjoy volunteering with you and everyone else at the pantry. It's such important work for the community and everyone is so welcoming and kind."
Come join us! Email Barbara at info@newburyfoodpantry.org to let her know you are interested.
FOOD DONATIONS
We accept food donations every Thursday from 9:30 am -1 pm. If you are not able to drop off at that time, please contact us at info@newburyfoodpantry.org or call 978-358-1077 to arrange another time.
Our most requested items include Coffee, Tea, Flour, Sugar, Baking Mixes, Cereals, Pasta Sides, Jello and Pudding Mixes, Jelly, Broths, Soups, and Toilet Paper.