Letter from the Director, Maureen Miller

Dear Friends,

We reside in the wonderful community of Wakefield that has never failed to provide the pantry with food and donations allowing us to serve those in need among us.  Since 1982 this community has supported the pantry through food drives, community events and donations.  Though it is bittersweet that we have been in existence for 30 years, it is heartwarming that we have always been able to help those in needs for that time period.

We are thankful for the many people who donate to the pantry through food or money.  Our average donation is approximately $50 and we process over 16,000 lbs of food each month.  This would not be possible without our individual donors and without the help of organizations such as Keurig, Shaws, Gathering Change and the Rotary.

Finally, we are so thankful for the wonderful volunteers that donate their time and energy to the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry.  These volunteers fulfill the many tasks necessary to feed our neighbors and they do it joyfully, compassionately and without judgment.  Through it’s volunteers, the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry strives to provide a warm and welcoming environment to all who come through the door.

As Director, I appreciate all of you who make the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry a success.  As Desmond Tutu said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

Maureen Miller
Director, Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry

Food Servings at the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry & the Greater Boston Food Bank

Both the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry and the Greater Boston Food Bank are hard at work serving the community.  Here are some recent numbers:

Servings at the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry

• 410: The # of households served since July
• 380: The # of visits to the pantry each month
• 16,000: Pounds of food distributed each month
• 5: The # of days of food given when a client visits
• 2: The # of times a client can visit each month

Servings at the Greater Boston Food Bank

• 23: The % increase in requests for food assistance since 2005
• 47: The % of people at risk for hunger in eastern Mass who earn too much to be eligible for government-provided emergency food assistance
• 8: The % of eastern Mass who use a food pantry, soup kitchen or shelter
• 33: The % of households who receive food assistance and have at least one child

Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry Debuts New Video

Thirty years ago in 1982, a dedicated group of volunteers cleared out a small cabinet in the basement of the First Baptist Church.  With help from the community, they stocked it with food and opened the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry (WIFP) with only one goal:  to eliminate hunger in our town.  Through the years, the pantry has provided much needed food items to those in need and doing it with care, dignity and respect.

 Nearly 70 people, including volunteers, donors, supporters and Board leadership, gathered together at Wakefield Community Access TV (WCAT) to celebrate the debut of a new video (Hunger Hurts:  A Community Responds) that shares the history of the WIFP and highlights the issue of hunger in our own community.  The video was enthusiastically received as a much needed educational tool to share with the entire town.  WCAT will air the video during these times on Channel 3:

 Monday, 8:30 pm

Wednesday, 1:00 pm

Thursday, 8:00 pm

Friday, 4:00 pm

Saturday, 12:00 pm

Sunday, 7:00 pm

Please tune in to WCAT and share your feedback by emailing info@wifoodpantry.org  or calling 781-245-2510. WCAT also posted the video on its website:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGkG2CckiaE

The WIFP would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the many people who volunteered their time, talent and money to make this video:

 The Video Committee:  Julie Bernardin (Chair), Flow Calore, Wendy Dennis, Elaine Gauetta, Jane Good, Beth Hendriks, Linda McManama, Maureen Miller and Sue Warden.

 Supporters:  WCAT, Wakefield Cooperative Bank, the Wakefield Community which has supported the WIFP throughout its 30 years.

Contributors:  Keurig, Elizabeth Lowrey (artist), Robyn Mather (marketing & branding consultant), Kelly Morgan (Narrator), Paul Reavis (Wakefield Town Hall), Shaws of Wakefield, Lee Martin (musician), WCAT (producer and video consultant)

“Once again, many talented and generous people stepped up to help the pantry with a major project,” said Maureen Miller, WIFP Director of Operations. “Everyone who views this video will get a sense of the heart and soul of the pantry’s mission from the very beginning and as it continues today.  Our founders were instrumental in creating an organization dedicated to helping our neighbors in need with respect, privacy and care and we carry on that tradition.”

 This video also highlights a number of real-life situations where local citizens found the support and food they needed at the pantry. “Everyone needs a helping hand now and again.  A job layoff, a disabling accident, the high cost of prescription drugs or medical care, skyrocketing oil bills during a cold winter – any one of these events may throw even the best laid plans to the wayside. That’s when the WIFP can help. Sometimes a helping hand is all you need to get back on your feet,” explained Miller.

 
In addition to the WCAT viewing times, the pantry is working to expand distribution of the video to the business community as well as the schools and houses of worship.  For more information about the video, contact Maureen Miller at 781-245-2510.

 If you are a Wakefield resident and are in need of food, you can receive assistance from the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry. The food pantry stocks non-perishable and perishable food items. Twice a month, clients are eligible to receive a 4-5 day supply of groceries for themselves. 

The Food Pantry is located on the lower level of the:

Americal Civic Center, 467 Main Street, Wakefield, MA 01880

The hours are:

 •Tuesday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

•Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

•Thursday 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Please bring proof that you live in Wakefield (e.g. utility bill). If there is an emergency situation, you may call the Food Pantry at 781-245-4510 for further assistance.

The WIFP would like to thank the Wakefield community for its generous support over the last 30 years!

 

 

2012 Holiday Basket Program a Success!

This year we continued our program to provide wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to our clients!

Our Thanksgiving meal consisted of a choice of turkey or ham, cranberry sauce, canned vegetables, stuffing, potatoes, onions, fresh fruit donated by Lisatano Fruit which included apples, oranges and pineapples, frozen pies and rolls.  We gave out approximately 140 meals.

Our Christmas meal consisted of pork tenderloin, canned and fresh vegetables, rolls, potatoes and frozen pies.  We gave out approximately 105 Christmas meals.  Our local Shaw’s Supermarket provided a lot of this food at low cost and even delivered it to us for distribution.

Over  40 volunteers cheerfully served those who visited us over a couple days to receive their meal.  Both meals were well received by our clients who were grateful to have this additional help during the holidays.

The  photo is of Pat Hardacker (Holiday Meal Coordinator), Julie Theriault (Board President), and Marge White (volunteer) preparing to distribute a holiday meal.

Cheer On the Food Pantry for This Year’s Souper Bowl of Caring!

No matter which team is your favorite for the upcoming Super Bowl XLVII on February 3, 2013, we all win when we root for the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry (WIFP) during the Souper Bowl of Caring drive!

WIFP is encouraging everyone in the community to collect monetary donations and much needed food items to stock the pantry shelves during The Souper Bowl of Caring which is a national endeavor to use the energy of the Super Bowl to mobilize youth in a united effort to care for people in their local communities who are hungry and those in need. Super Bowl weekend – the first Sunday in February – can be nation's largest celebration of giving and serving – if we all participate!

The WIFP leadership and volunteers are asking businesses, churches, and other organizations to offer special promotions to their clients and members to spark donations. In addition, families and friends who host Super Bowl parties are encouraged to ask their guests to make financial donations or bring a couple of cans of food to the get-togethers on February 3, 2013, Super Bowl Sunday.  

Most needed food items can be seen on the WIFP website:  http://www.wifoodpantry.org/wi_mostneededfood.html.

Food items collected can be dropped off at the WIFP Drop Off Box located on the lower level of the Americal Civic Center during open hours or at the Town Hall Drop Off Box. (Be sure that you don’t donate food that has expired!) Any financial donations can be mailed to the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry at P.O. Box 1624, Wakefield, MA 01880.

For more information about participating in The Souper Bowl of Caring at the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry, please email the WIFP at fooddrive@wifoodpantry.org.