Tina Powderly talks with me about Hunger Action Month (audio)

FM #1809 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1809 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Tina Powderly, Executive Director of the Franklin Food Pantry. We had our conversation in person in the community room at The Franklin Food Pantry on Friday, August 28, 2026. 

Discussion items: 

• Hunger Action Month, nationwide program by Feeding America

• Infographic confirms volume increases

• Many ways to help, take a tour, volunteer, donate items, money, etc.

• Plans for expansion to meet the growing need

The conversation runs about 32 minutes. Let’s listen in 

Audio link - https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1809-franklin-fodd-pantry-hunger-action-month-08-28-26/

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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://franklinfoodpantry.mindfulgiving.org/campaigns/amazon-wish-list/products 

Infographic- https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/about/impact-reports/

Grateful for the years of support from Rockland Trust for use of the prior building which is no longer standing on West Central St in the Rockland Trust parking lot.

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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 Food Pantry Releases FY26 Impact Report: 28% Rise in Overall Need as Child Hunger Surges 35%

The Franklin Food Pantry released its annual impact report for Fiscal Year 2026, revealing a dramatic increase in demand for food assistance across the local community. Over the past fiscal year, the total number of individuals relying on The Pantry climbed 28% to 2,411 people, while the number of children receiving food assistance from The Pantry jumped by 35%. 

In total, Franklin Food Pantry’s programs and services were accessed 32,873 times during FY26. Demonstrating the persistent nature of current economic hardship, more than half of all registered clients visited The Pantry three or more times a month to meet their household grocery needs.  

The substantial rise in local demand reflects broader state and national trends. Since July 2025, more than 61,000 children in Massachusetts have lost access to crucial Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits following the enactment of federal legislation (One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R.1). This reduction in federal nutrition support has resulted in hundreds of local families turning to food pantries for food assistance. 

"The numbers from this past fiscal year reflect both an alarming rise in food insecurity within our community and the extraordinary generosity of the people in Franklin," said Tina Powderly, Executive Director of the Franklin Food Pantry. "This past year, our neighbors turned to us in record numbers—and through the hard work and overwhelming support of our donors, partners, staff, and volunteers, we were able to ensure everyone had access to healthy food.”  

To meet the unprecedented demand, The Pantry distributed 816,610 pounds of food—a 30% increase over last year—including 186,536 pounds of recovered healthy, fresh food that would have otherwise been discarded. Through outreach programs, The Pantry provided 4,134 weekend food backpacks to Franklin Public School students, delivered 3,394 grocery bags to medically homebound residents, supplied 2,032 bags across four mobile pantry sites, and distributed 1,075 Thanksgiving and winter holiday meals. These massive efforts were powered by 568 dedicated volunteers who gave 15,351 hours of service.

Amidst a year of record need, the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) honored the Franklin Food Pantry as its Agency Partner of the Year, celebrating its extraordinary efforts to expand regional food access. GBFB also designated The Pantry as a Healthy Pantry Leader in recognition of its steadfast commitment to client dignity and nutrition and offering balanced foods and a client-centered shopping experience through intentional sourcing, distribution, and community programming.

“Even during exceptionally difficult times, the power of our community keeps us moving forward," said Powderly, "It inspires everything we do and ensures no neighbor has to face food insecurity alone."

For more information about the Franklin Food Pantry, or to receive food assistance, please visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org, or call 508-528-3115.

About Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers food assistance, household necessities, and resource referrals to more than 2,411 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 Distribution, 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, or on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more information.

The Franklin Food Pantry is hiring to meet the rising need of the community

Via the Franklin Food Pantry newsletter:

"We're Hiring! Join The Pantry's Operations Team

Demand for food assistance in our community is at an all-time high, and we are working hard to continuously meet that rising need. To support our growing operations and ensure we can get more food to more people, we are looking to hire two paid positions:

Program Expansion Manager: This role will support our new expansion initiatives aimed at increasing access for individuals and families across our community.

Support Services Coordinator: This role will support the daily operations of The Pantry through active, hands-on work and closely collaborate with our wonderful team of volunteers.

If you are interested in either position, please review the job descriptions by clicking on the links above and emailing a cover letter and resume to Lisa Ryan, Star HR Consulting, lisa@starhrconsulting.com."

SAFE Coalition: Hear Mark's Story (video)

"Mark represents everything we stand for at SAFE: compassion, dedication, and meeting people where they are. He reminds us that every person deserves dignity, respect, and to never feel alone—and that’s exactly what we strive to provide to everyone who walks through our doors.

Will you join Mark in investing in people?

Together, we can continue to show up, stand beside those in need,

and turn hope into action."

Donate here - https://secure.qgiv.com/event/safe2026/donate

Additional info on the SAFE Gala held recently

Laura shares insights from The Pantry Strategic Plan with us (audio)

FM #1386 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1386 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Laura Doherty, Franklin Food Pantry Associate Director. We had our conversation at the Franklin Food Pantry at Edwin’s. 

The Pantry Strategic Plan

Laura provides a brief story on her road to The Pantry then we get to talk about The Pantry Strategic Plan. It was funded by a grant from the MetroWest Health Foundation specifically for use in building capacity. The Pantry developed the strategic plan with involvement of multiple stakeholders groups and is now able to bring the plan to life.

The recent holiday meal distribution is one example of how the strategic plan led to the enhancements that resulted in almost 1,000 meals distributed during Nov & Dec 2024.

Disclosure: during the conversation you will hear that I was previously on the Food Pantry Board. I am currently volunteering on a couple of committees to help the Food Pantry mission. 

The recording runs about 39 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Laura

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1386-franklin-food-pantry-strategic-plan-02-06-25/

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Franklin Food Pantry strategic plan -> 

https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Strategic-Plan-2024-to-2027.pdf 

Food Pantry current needs page -> https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/get-involved/pantry-needs/ 

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

Sign up for a public tour of the Pantry -> https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4baaa622a4f4c43-pantry#/ 

The Franklin Food Pantry is here for you. If you need us, we are here with not only food, but useful programs and resources for individuals, seniors and families struggling with food insecurity. If you can support us, we thank you - visit www.franklinfoodpantry.org  to explore volunteering, donating funds, donating food, or supporting our Capital Campaign to keep the lights on and the programs, from food elves to weekend backpack stuffing. It truly takes a village to keep our food pantry running and supporting the increasing demand, supporting our Franklin neighbors.

--------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm). 

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 www.franklin.news or www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

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!

------------------

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

Franklin Food Pantry Awarded $24,929 Community Investment Grant from The Greater Boston Food Bank

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, awarded nearly $25,000 to the Franklin Food Pantry to support its ability to empower food insecure neighbors, bolstering GBFB’s network of food distribution agencies and advancing hunger-relief efforts across Eastern Massachusetts in response to the continuing hunger crisis in the state. 

The annual grant program, originally founded in 2013, has now been investing in GBFB partner agencies for over a decade. This investment aims to strengthen The Pantry’s ability to provide nutritious food to the Franklin community. The grant will be used to fund the addition of a Support Services Coordinator who will enhance The Pantry’s client programs and services, and food procurement and processing systems. Individuals interested in the new position can learn more HERE.

“The support The Pantry has received from Greater Boston Food Bank has been instrumental in alleviating food insecurity in Franklin,” said Tina Powderly, Executive Director Franklin Food Pantry. “We’re grateful to receive the Community Investment Grant to strengthen our team and in-turn our community.” 

This grant coincides with GBFB’s fourth annual report on food insecurity, equity and access in Massachusetts. The 2024 study, “Opportunities to Improve Food Equity & Access in Massachusetts,” reveals consistently high rates of food insecurity in the state and sustained disparities in food access for communities of color and households with children.

“GBFB’s network of dedicated agency partners continue to inspire us to be innovative in our efforts to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. “With sustained inequities in food access across our region, we aim to continue to invest in those communities facing a heightened need for food and drive progress towards hunger relief through strategic grantmaking to our network of agency partners. As the cost of living in our region continues to rise, we look forward to seeing how these funds bolster Franklin Food Pantry’s s ability to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in Franklin.”

About the Franklin Food Pantry, Inc.:

The Franklin Food Pantry, Inc. offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,300 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 In-person Shopping, Curbside Pick-up, Emergency Food Bags, Mobile Pantries, Home Delivery, Kids’ Snack Bags, Weekend Backpacks, Holiday Meal Kits, 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.

About The Greater Boston Food Bank:

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. As the food bank for Eastern Massachusetts, GBFB is feeding people in 190 towns across the region, distributing the equivalent of nearly 90 million meals through a network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs. A member of the national Feeding America network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here. The organization remains committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617-427-5200.

Franklin Food Pantry Awarded $24,929 Community Investment Grant  from The Greater Boston Food Bank