Amber Baur shares about her work volunteering for the Franklin Food Pantry (audio)

FM #1519 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1519 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Amber Baur, Chair of the Board of Directors, for the Franklin Food Pantry. We had our conversation in person in the community room at The Pantry on Monday, September 22, 2025. 

Discussion items: 

Amber Baur

• Amber’s background and road to The Pantry

• Board and subcommittee structure to build a pipeline of talent 

• Strategic & careful expansion of curbside services to neighboring communities

• Many opportunities to be involved to help The Pantry

The conversation runs about 34 minutes. Let’s listen in 

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1519-franklin-food-pantry-board-chair-amber-baur-09-22-25/

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Franklin Food Pantry web page -> https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/ 

Follow The Pantry on

Facebook ->  https://www.facebook.com/FranklinFoodPantry 

Instagram ->  https://www.instagram.com/franklinfoodpan/ 

Amazon wishlist ->  https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2SIL7UR08ZZUC?ref_=wl_share 

Greater Boston Food Bank ->  https://www.gbfb.org/ 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Franklin Area Mom's introduce their new board for 2025-2026

Franklin Area Mom's introduce their new board for 2025-2026

"Happy Sunday!!

As board members settle into our new roles, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves! We’re all so excited to be serving Franklin Area Moms (FAM) this year and hope to see you at an event soon"

Click through on the link to review the Board members ->

  https://www.instagram.com/p/DOmjnwYjXvp/

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Monday, September 15, 2025 ??

Monday, September 15

Library & Senior Center events

Nomination papers due for all candidates in the Biennial Election November 3, 2025

9:00am Discussion of VA and State Survivor Benefits (Franklin Senior Center)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Library Board of Directors Regular meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_09152025-1904 

Recreation Advisory Board Meeting

Monday, September 15 Time: 7:00 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152025-1867 

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What's happening in Franklin, MA

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

Franklin TV: Our Open Board Meeting - Saturday, Aug 23 at 3 PM

It’s Happening. August 23rd at Our Studio

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 07/20/2025

Our Annual Open Board Meeting will take place as our neighborhood block party. Come to our 23 Hutchinson St. studios.

It’s open to all Franklin businesses and residents. We’ll meet-and-greet and enjoy the day starting at 3:00 PM. Come hungry and enjoy steak tips, pulled pork, dogs, burgers and all the fixin’s – along with tunes, games and fun.

You can also tour our studios and learn about Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm. We’ll also briefly review the past year’s progress and plans for the future. At our meeting you may cast your vote for new and/or renewing board positions.

Excerpt from FCCA bylaws: (Available on our website.)

Section 15. Election of Director by the Membership (a) Members shall be notified by the Clerk of the election of a director by the Membership at the Annual Meeting. Said notice shall be in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 4 of this Article IV. (b) Any eligible voting Member may be nominated for election to the position of Director by:

(i) Written notification to the Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to Annual Meeting; or (ii) By nomination from the floor of the Annual Meeting made and seconded by no less than three (3) eligible voting members.

Thanks to our board members who contribute their time and energy to help make Franklin●TV all that a public access TV studio can be. If you would like to become involved either as a volunteer or to create your own TV or radio programs at Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm, just send an email to: info@franklin.tv with your contact information. You can also call us to discuss and explore your ideas. 508-541-4118.

Please join us at our Franklin●TV event. Come meet, greet, chow down, have fun, and learn all about local TV and radio in Franklin.

See you then.

And – as always –

Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 

And, thank you for watching.

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

MetroWest Nonprofit Network recognizes the Franklin Food Pantry Board of Directors as a Nonprofit Valuable Player (NVP)!

MetroWest Nonprofit Network recognizes
 the Franklin Food Pantry Board of Directors

Via the Franklin Food Pantry: 

"We are so incredibly proud of our 2024 Board of Directors!  

Congratulations on being named a Nonprofit Valuable Player (NVP) by the MetroWest Nonprofit Network! Your hard work and dedication to The Pantry and to our community is making a real difference and we are so grateful."

MetroWest Nonprofit Network

"Congratulations to the 2024 Board of Directors of the @Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.—our newest Nonprofit Valuable Player (NVP)! 

Nominated by Executive Director, Tina Tavares Powderly, because of their unwavering commitment to the Pantry's mission and Franklin community.

"Their strategic vision has empowered us to grow thoughtfully—investing in staff, volunteers, and infrastructure, most notably are first permanent space, to better serve those in need. This dynamic group brings diversity, dedication, brilliance, and a spirit of collaboration and fun that continually motivates and strengthens our entire organization." —Tina

 The NVP Award is part of MWNN’s Mission: Possible campaign—celebrating the individuals and organizations making their nonprofit missions possible. It's all in honor of National Nonprofit Day on 8/17."

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/19RVewN6vV/

Amber Baur Named Chair of Franklin Food Pantry Board of Directors

The Franklin Food Pantry is proud to welcome Amber Baur as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. As a dedicated volunteer and long-time supporter, Amber brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to The Pantry’s mission of combating food insecurity in the community.

Amber's leadership has been instrumental in many of The Pantry's initiatives. She played a pivotal role in ensuring The Pantry's Service Enterprise Certification, a prestigious accreditation awarded by the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement and Points of Light recognizing a nonprofit’s commitment to effectively delivering on their missions by strategically engaging volunteer time and talent. 

Amber Baur

More recently, she contributed to the nonprofit’s 2024 Strategic Plan, a comprehensive effort to identify community needs and develop sustainable strategies to address them. She volunteers regularly at The Pantry, greeting and assisting clients while they shop, and serves as Captain of The Pantry's Falmouth Road Race Team.

"I am incredibly passionate about the work being done at the Franklin Food Pantry," said Amber. "It is an honor and a privilege to step into this leadership role and collaborate with such a dedicated team to combat hunger and support our neighbors who are facing food insecurity.”

Originally from California, Amber holds both an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and an MBA. She and her family have been residents of Franklin since 2007, and her son attended Franklin Public Schools.

"We're incredibly fortunate to have Amber's expertise and mission-driven leadership on our Board," said Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry. "Her unwavering support for clients, staff, and volunteers is evident in everything she does, and we know that she’ll continue to advance our fight against food insecurity in the community."

For the past year, Amber has been preparing for her new role by serving as Co-chair of the Board of Directors alongside Rachel Flum. Rachel, who chaired the Board from May 2023 to June 2024, and then served as Co-chair from July 2024 to June 2025, recently concluded her term. Board member Judi Perez also finished her term. Both Rachel and Judi’s dedication and hard work were essential to The Pantry’s achievements over the past few years, and they will be greatly missed. 

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referrals to more than 1,800 individuals per year. The Pantry relies on donations and grants to purchase items and pay for daily operations, and partnerships with The Greater Boston Food Bank, Spoonfuls, and local grocery stores to achieve greater buying power and lower costs. 

Programs include Inside Shopping, Curbside Pickup, Emergency Food Boxes, Mobile Pantries, Home Delivery, Kids’ Snack Bags, Weekend Backpacks, Holiday Meals, and the SNAP match at Franklin Farmers Market. The Pantry is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing in Massachusetts, recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four-Star Charity, and awarded GuideStar’s Platinum Transparency ranking. The Pantry is located at 341 W Central St. in Franklin, MA on Route 140. Please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Monday, March 24, 2025 ???

Monday, March 24

* "Look Up" Gallery (Franklin Public Library during open hours)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->     
https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

** Town Meetings today   **

Library Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, March 24th Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/Library-Board-of-Directors-20/?#_03242025-1646 

Planning Board Meeting

Monday, March 24th  Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/331?fileID=4217 

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Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

Franklin Food Pantry Welcomes New Board Members: Barton, Baur, Harrington, & Stott

The Franklin Food Pantry, a private, nonprofit organization offering supplemental food assistance to more than 1,300 individuals per year, is pleased to announce the addition of Jim Barton, Amber Baur, Oona Harrington, and David Stott to the board of directors. The newly elected members hold a variety of backgrounds and expertise in business, civic, and nonprofit leadership, and will strengthen the governance and oversight of The Pantry, which recently moved to a new building at 341 W Central Street, Franklin, Massachusetts.

“As we enter The Pantry's next phase in our new home, it is critical to enlist additional leadership to help guide and deliver enhanced programs and services,” said Rachel Flum, Chair, Board of Directors, Franklin Food Pantry. “On behalf of the board, I am thrilled to welcome Jim, Amber, Oona, and David whose diverse perspectives and expertise will serve our neighbors and town well."

Jim Barton co-owns Allegra Marketing Print Mail in Franklin. He previously spent more than 20 years working as a sales and marketing executive in the consumer electronics industry. Jim prioritizes community involvement and supports numerous local businesses and nonprofits including SAFE Coalition, the Franklin Cultural Council, and Foster Care Essentials. He is a graduate of Bridgewater State University and resides in Medway, Massachusetts.  

Amber Baur is a demonstrated strong senior leader with more than 30 years in operations, service management, and employee development. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in business administration. She finds great joy in helping others through volunteering at the Franklin Food Pantry, coaching Franklin Youth Soccer, and being a docent at Southwick’s Zoo. She and her family reside in Franklin.

Oona Harrington is passionate about creating inclusive and equitable   environments and supports individuals and teams through her work in talent strategy and operations. Oona volunteers as a mentor for her company’s Women’s Business Resource Group and is a senior mentor for The Valedictorian Project. She also volunteers at Franklin Public Schools serving as a sub-committee member, co-chair for the Weekend Backpack Program, and as a parent representative on the school council. Oona earned an undergraduate degree from Boston University and a graduate degree from Babson College. Oona and her family reside in Franklin.

David Stott is Senior Vice President, General Counsel at Sensata Technologies, an NYSE-listed industrial technology company. He practiced corporate law with private law firms in New York City, London, and Houston. David previously served on the Governance Committee of the Food Pantry Board. He and his family reside in Franklin.

 

The four new board members will serve three-year terms, increasing the volunteer-led team to eleven individuals. To support the Franklin Food Pantry’s daily operations, or to provide support for the non- profit’s new building campaign, please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org.

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance and household necessities to more than 1,300 individuals per year. The Franklin Food Pantry is not funded by the Town of Franklin. As a private, nonprofit organization, we depend on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other strategic partners. 

We are grateful for our many partnerships, including that with the Greater Boston Food Bank, that allow us to achieve greater buying power and lower our costs. Donations and grants fund our food purchases, keep our lights on, and put gas in our food truck. Programs include home delivery, a weekend backpack program for Franklin school children in need, mobile pantries, emergency food bags, and holiday meal packages. 

The Pantry is located at 341 W. Central St. in Franklin, Massachusetts on Route 140. Visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

The Franklin TV Open Board Meeting - It’s Happening. August 19 at Our Studio

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 07/23/2023

This year our Annual Open Board Meeting will take place as part of a neighborhood block party at our 23 Hutchinson St. studios.

Join us, Saturday, August 19th at 3:00 PM. 

If you plan to attend, please RSVP by August 12 to: info@franklin.tv

Franklin TV Open Board Meeting

It’s open to all Franklin businesses and residents. We’ll meet-and-greet and enjoy the day starting at 3:00 PM. Come hungry and enjoy some great food and music with Jamie Barrett. You can also tour our studios and learn about Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm. We’ll also review the past year’s progress and plans for the future. At our meeting you may cast a vote for new and/or renewing board positions.

Excerpt from FCCA bylaws: (Available on our website.)

Section 15. Election of Director by the Membership (a) Members shall be notified by the Clerk of the election of a director by the Membership at the Annual Meeting. Said notice shall be in accordance with the notice provisions of Section 4 of this Article IV. (b) Any eligible voting Member may be nominated for election to the position of Director by: (i) Written notification to the Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to Annual Meeting; or (ii) By nomination from the floor of the Annual Meeting made and seconded by no less than three (3) eligible voting members.

Thanks to our board members who contribute their time and energy to help make Franklin●TV all that a public access TV studio can be. If you would like to become involved either as a volunteer or to create your own TV or radio programs at Franklin●TV and wfpr●fm, just send an email to: info@franklin.tv with your contact information. You can also call us to discuss and explore your ideas. 508-541-4118.

Please join us at our Franklin●TV event. Again, it’s Saturday, August 19th starting at 3:00pm. Our brief open board meeting begins at 4:00pm. Come meet, greet, and learn all about local TV and radio in Franklin.

See you then. And – as always –

Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 

And, thank you for watching.

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA