Press Release: Pantry Moves to New, Larger Location

On July 13, 2010, the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry (WIFP) opened its doors to a new and larger space at the Americal Civic Center in Wakefield.  After many years at its wonderful home at the First Baptist Church, the decision to change locations was based on the growing number of clients that the pantry has been serving and the organization’s capacity to fill the clients’ needs.

“At present, we are serving an average of 800 individuals per month (including children), which is a 33% increase over the number of individuals we assisted last year,” explains Julie Theriault, the President of the WIFP Board of Directors.  “And, with the current high unemployment rate, we anticipate that the number of clients needing our services will continue to grow.”

According to Maureen Miller, Director of Operations, the larger space has allowed the WIFP to expand
its services in a number of ways:

• Access additional food at no or low cost from the Greater Boston Food Bank
• Store a larger inventory of food and provide a more diverse variety with a greater number of healthier options
• Provide perishable items
• Keep in stock certain food staples most needed by clients
• Partner with fresh produce groups (such as local farmers markets) and food rescue organizations
• Allow clients more frequent visits
• Offer clients additional hours of operation, including evening hours
• Every two weeks, clients are eligible to receive a 3‐4 day supply of groceries.   The pantry is open to Wakefield residents from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm every Tuesday and Thursday with evening hours on Thursday from 6 pm – 8:00 pm.

Food donations are welcome and are most critical now in the summer months when there are fewer food drives.  Food may be dropped off at the Civic Center location during the following hours:

• Monday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Tuesday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
• Thursday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
• The 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 9 am to noon.

In addition, food can continued to be dropped off at the designated box located at William J. Lee Town Hall during its regular business hours.  For very large donations (40 or more bags), please call the WIFP at 781‐245‐2510. Financial contributions should be sent to the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry, PO Box 1624, Wakefield MA, 01880.

“All of us at the WIFP would like to thank the First Baptist Church for always being there for us as well as our many volunteers and donors throughout the Wakefield community who have put their hearts, souls and muscles into helping us move,” continues Miller.  “We couldn’t achieve our mission of helping our neighbors in need without such generous and caring supporters.”

The Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, volunteer organization committed to providing food items to Wakefield residents in need regardless of religious affiliation. WIFP provides emergency food resources to our Wakefield neighbors in need as well as referrals to other agencies. For more information, please call 781‐245‐2510 or email the WIFP info@wifoodpantry.org.

The ribbon cutting ceremony officially opens the new location of the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry at the Americal
Civic Center.  In the photo: Beth Hendriks (WIFP Board), Al Turco (Selectman), Betsy Sheeran (Selectwoman), Paul
DiNocco (Selectman), Maureen Miller (WIFP Director of Operations), Leo Couture (Board President-Americal Civic
Center), Sue Bernhard (WIFP Board), Pat Glynn (Selectman), Jim Good (Selectman), Steve Maio (Town Administrator).

Food pantry volunteers George Powers, Anne Miller and Rosanne Phillips unload supplies
from the Greater Boston Food Bank at the new WIFP location at the Americal Civic Center.

Volunteers stock the shelves at the new, larger WIFP at the Americal Civic Center in Wakefield.

Wakefield Observer: Food Pantry Makes It's Move

Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry volunteers George Powers,
Anne Miller and Rosanne Phillips delivers donation
to the new location.

By Hillary Tomsyck/wakefield@cnc.com
Originally posted Jul 13, 2010 @ the Wakefield Observer

Wakefield — After 28 years of providing food for those in need, the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry is preparing to open the doors to its new facility in the Americal Civic Center on Main Street.

The new pantry location will offer a lot more shelving space, opening much needed room for donations. A new refrigerator and freezer will also allow the pantry to provide perishable items which was not possible at the original location in Wakefield’s First Baptist Church.

“It was the size of a house pantry, about 4-by-4-feet. We also had to pile extra cans behind the stage in the church,” said WIFP Director Maureen Miller, describing the old location.

The pantry, which started out small, servicing 400 clients, was in need of a bigger space since it regularly supplies to 800 individuals, including 300 families, in need of assistance due to job loss, low wage jobs, and health related issues. After extensive planning, the shelves have been stocked and the Interfaith Food Pantry will now have more space to fulfill their mission that “no one go hungry in the Wakefield community.”

Miller as well as Julie Theriault, president of the pantry’s Board of Directors, began planning the move nearly a year ago after hearing that the space inside the center, previously occupied by the Wakefield Historical Society, would be vacant.

“It was the perfect space, it’s downtown, easily accessible, and it’s private,” Miller said of the Civic Center.

Miller and Theriault visited many surrounding shelters, in preparation for the move, to determine the best way to organize and utilize the new space.

The pantry which is run entirely by volunteers, receives donations from local families, schools, religious groups, as well as Boy Scout troops, who have their own designated shelves which they work to keep filled all year long. The pantry also receives support from the Greater Boston Food Bank as well as Shaw’s Supermarkets which provides bread to the pantry.

With the new shelf space as well as the refrigerator, donated by Wakefield’s Rotary Club, Miller said the goal is to provide Wakefield families and individuals in need with a three-to-four-day supply of groceries every two weeks.

The pantry is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with new extended hours on Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m., giving those who work a chance to come in as well. Donations can be dropped off at the William J. Lee Town Hall during office hours. For more information on how to volunteer and give, visit www.wifoodpantry.org.