Showing posts with label food insecurity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food insecurity. Show all posts

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Does Food Count as a Basic Human Right? - March 17 at 10 AM

Join us for worship on March 17, as the First Universalist Society in Franklin (FUSF) Food Insecurity Team, and their special guest, Tina Powderly, the Executive Director of the Franklin Food Pantry, explore their collective and personal journeys from focusing on alleviating food insecurity to that of Food Justice. 

Food Justice is the belief that access to food is a basic human right which can only be achieved if one advocates for structural change across the entire food system. Unfortunately, our current food system rests upon many inherent, deeply entrenched barriers to equity.  

This worship service will be interactive; if you have one, please bring your phone to voice your opinion on-line during the service.  All are welcome to attend, we look forward to meeting you.       
   
The First Universalist Society in Franklin is a Unitarian Universalist Welcoming Congregation located at 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin MA. For further information about FUSF please explore our website at fusf.org or contact our Interim Minister, the Reverend Beverly Waring at 508- 528- 5348 or minister@fusf.org 
March 17, 2024  10:00 AM
First Universalist Society in Franklin
262 Chestnut Street Franklin MA
Does Food Count as a Basic Human Right?
Does Food Count as a Basic Human Right?

Friday, February 2, 2024

Franklin Food Pantry recognized for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy across Massachusetts

                   Recognition provides $50,000 in unrestricted funding and volunteer support from Citizens

 

The Franklin Food Pantry, a nonprofit whose mission is to alleviate food insecurity and compassionately empower their community through resources and collaboration, has been named a Citizens' 2024 Champion in Action® for their efforts advancing renewable energy.

Announced jointly by Citizens and NECN, the Franklin Food Pantry will receive $50,000 in unrestricted funding and promotional and volunteer support to propel their work to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for Massachusetts.

"The Franklin Food Pantry is extremely honored to receive the highly competitive Champions in Action Award, which will help fund solar panel installation and allow clients to access supplemental food assistance and programs in an energy-efficient, sustainable building," said Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry.  "Investing in green energy is a priority for our organization and energy generated by solar panels will strengthen The Pantry's financial profile by offsetting future operating costs."

The Franklin Food Pantry offers supplemental food assistance, household necessities, and resource referral programs to more than 1,300 individuals per year. The organization recently moved to a larger facility with a loading dock and warehouse which allows them to easily distribute and ensure equitable access to food and other goods. The Pantry will use the Champion in Action grant to purchase solar panels for the new facility to help reduce operating costs and improve its environmental footprint.

As a Champion in Action, Franklin Food Pantry will benefit from:

  • A $50,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens
  • Media coverage and public service announcements from NECN
  • Complimentary membership to the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
  • Volunteer support from Citizens colleagues
  • Public relations and promotional support

"Citizens is committed to driving positive climate impact by reducing our operational emissions, supporting our clients' sustainability journeys, and partnering with community organizations to drive change," said Lisa Murray, President of Citizens Massachusetts. "As one of our 2024 Champions in Action grantees, we are honored to support Franklin Food Pantry's work to create sustainable energy solutions within their organization and across Massachusetts."

 "The Boston stations of NBC and Telemundo are proud to support the work of Champions in Action, which directly elevates the impact of nonprofits throughout the Commonwealth," said Maggie Baxter, VP of Programming and Community for NBC10 Boston, NECN, and Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra.

Citizens' Champions in Action program celebrates and supports local nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million who are creating lasting change in the communities they serve. Twice a year, a nonprofit in one of seven Citizens' markets is selected to receive funding, promotional and volunteer support to advance programming and services focused on a relevant topic that changes bi-annually.

Since the program's launch 21 years ago, Citizens has awarded more than $10 million in unrestricted grants and promotional and volunteer support to more than 375 Champion in Action nonprofit winners across the bank's footprint. In Massachusetts alone, 62 nonprofits have been honored, receiving more than $1.7 million in funding.

For more information about the Champions in Action program, visit Champions in Action | Be Inspired | Citizens (citizensbank.com). To learn more about Citizens' work driving positive climate impact, visit Driving Positive Climate Impact | Sustainable Banking (citizensbank.com).  

 

About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.  

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation's oldest and largest financial institutions, with $222.0 billion in assets as of December 31, 2023. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,100 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn or Facebook. 


About NBC10 Boston  

Owned by NBCUniversal, NBC10 Boston delivers viewers in the Greater Boston area, Southern New Hampshire and Northeastern Massachusetts NBC's award-winning daytime, primetime and late-night signature programs and local breaking news and information. The station features the most accurate weather in the region with "First Alert Weather" and an exclusive 10-day forecast. Additionally, NBC10 Boston features the market's only daily live lifestyle program, "The Hub Today." The station's investigative units, "NBC10 Boston Responds" and "The Investigators" answer local consumer inquiries and shines a light on questionable practices. NBC10Boston's news coverage and content is also delivered to viewers on-the-go through its dedicated website NBC10Boston.com, a customized mobile app and via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. The station has been awarded eleven Edward R. Murrow awards since its launch, including for "Overall Excellence" and "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion." 

 

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, Lovin' 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, Community Gardens, and the 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 NECN  

Owned by NBCUniversal, NECN serves as the largest 24-hour regional news network in the U.S.  Since its launch in 1992, NECN has grown to include 3.6 million subscribers in more than 1,050 cities and towns throughout all six New England states. NECN has established itself as an industry leader as the only cable television news station to earn a George Foster Peabody Award and the Alfred I Dupont- Columbia University Broadcast Journalism Award, among many other accolades. On January 19, 2020, NECN relaunched its entire network targeting a new audience – millennial Women 25-54. As a digital-first network, NECN has changed the way it delivers news, entertainment, and lifestyle content across all platforms.

 

About Telemundo Boston 

Owned by NBCUniversal, Telemundo Boston, WNEU, is a local Telemundo owned station that serves viewers in the Greater Boston area. Telemundo Boston produces 10 hours of local news programming each week. The station's newscast, "Noticiero Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra" (Telemundo New England News) is the #1 Spanish- language newscast in New England airing every weeknight at 5:00 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM and delivers live, local breaking news, weather forecasts and special reports, as well as sports and entertainment information to Spanish-speaking audiences in Boston and in Hartford, Connecticut through a simulcast via WRDM. Audiences can also receive the most-up-to-date news and information across the station's digital and mobile platforms at TelemundoNuevaInglaterra.com, via the "Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra" mobile app, and its social media channels @TelemundoNI. 

 

About NBC Sports Boston 

NBC Sports Boston reaches more than 4 million households in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Programming includes the Boston Celtics, Arbella Early Edition, Boston Sports Tonight, Celtics Post Up, Monday Night Patriots, Quick Slants, Football Day in New England including pre and post-game programs surrounding all Patriots games, CAA football, basketball and more. NBCSportsBoston.com and all of the network's social media channels (@NBCSBoston) provide continuous news, video and in-depth, up-to-the-minute coverage of New England sports. Visit NBCSportsBoston.com for more information. Check local listings for the specific channel location for your area. 


Monday, December 11, 2023

Where does the food that we eat come from? New tool models that answer for us!

"What is this and why is it relevant?
This is a proof of concept digital twin of the United States food system. Recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have revealed inherent gaps in the way food systems are modeled. Particularly, these events have exposed how these shocks cascade through food systems and impact food security at an individual and community level. Digital twins of food systems hold massive potential to fill the decision making under food crises, including those caused or exacerbated by climate change.

What is this tool showing?
This tool visualizes a model designed to predict where food is grown and connecting that food to where it is consumed. Each colored point moving on the map correlates to a set number of calories from that food group. In the consumer view the map shows how the food that is consumed in a county travels to that region; in the producer view it shows where food that grows in that county is consumed and how it gets to that region. It shows the roads which that food flows down from fork to fork, and how climate shocks in one region propagate through the supply chain and impact on the availability of food in consumers food baskets."

Shared from -> https://food.theplotline.org/ 

Set up for Norfolk County, MA (screengrab)

Where does the Norfolk County, MA food that we eat come from? New tool models that answer for us!
Where does the Norfolk County, MA food that we eat come from? New tool models that answer for us!


Interactive view -> https://food.theplotline.org/?s=03#viewport=-71.162%7E42.196%7E4.454%7E30%7E0&roads=false&county=%2225021%22&foodGroup=null&flowType=%22consumer%22&allLinkedCounties=true&search=false

Picked up on the radar via Twitter ->   https://twitter.com/simongerman600/status/1733623819003113513

Saturday, November 11, 2023

"The US must acknowledge the right to food in order to transform its broken food system"

"The US must acknowledge the right to food in order to transform its broken food system in the post-pandemic era and make it more resilient in the face of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, according to a United Nations hunger expert.

“Whether we’re talking about right to food, food justice or food sovereignty, there has been growing momentum over the last 10 years to understand that food is not just something we just leave to be determined by what is available or by corporations or the status quo,” said Michael Fakhri, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food.

Last month, Fakhri presented a report on the right to food – which would entail that adequate food be available and accessible to all people – as a means of food system recovery and transformation to the UN general assembly.

“People are really mobilizing around food to say food is political, cultural and social, and we should be able to decide for ourselves what counts as good food,” he said.

The right to food, which can also be characterized as a right to culturally appropriate nutrition that a person needs to live a healthy and active life, is recognized in the UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is enshrined in the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. However, it has not historically been a mainstream concept in the US."
Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required) ->  

"The Challenge
To recover from the current food crisis, and with an eye to the future, States face three issues. They must:
(a) Respond to the food crisis with national plans;
(b) Develop an international coordinated response to the food crisis;
(c) Transform their food systems to make them more resilient to climate change and prevent biodiversity loss.
States must address all three issues as interdependent. If they do not
cooperate and develop an international coordinated response, their
national plans to recover from the food crisis will fail. At the same time,
how they respond to the multiple crises at hand will significantly affect the nature of their food systems for decades to come."


Direct link to local copy of the report summary (4 pages) ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1chBc1M5yeqQx3IN9Ocy4AuiidVUOlc7t/view?usp=drive_link

Direct link to local copy of the full report (20 pages) ->

"The US must acknowledge the right to food in order to transform its broken food system"
"The US must acknowledge the right to food in order to transform its broken food system"

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Pantherbook: "What is food insecurity?"

via Pantherbook:

The Franklin Food Pantry: What is Food Insecurity? 
by Tuhina Pal https://t.co/pcETc1u96C
The Pantry’s supply of fresh produce. (Linda Rondeau Photography)
The Pantry’s supply of fresh produce. (Linda Rondeau Photography)


Thursday, September 7, 2023

Franklin Food Pantry to Take Part in Hunger Action Month®

September is Hunger Action Month®, and the Franklin Food Pantry is joining Feeding America and a nationwide network of food pantries to raise awareness and inspire the public to act on behalf of people experiencing hunger. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food insecure. 

The Town of Franklin and the surrounding community are not immune to food insecurity with The Pantry providing more than 1,300 individuals with supplemental food assistance and services. As a private, non- profit organization, The Pantry relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers, offering community groups and individuals many opportunities to become involved in the fight against hunger.

“Over the past two years, the Franklin Food Pantry has experienced a sharp increase in the need for supplemental food assistance,” said Tina Powderly, Executive Director, Franklin Food Pantry. “Hunger Action Month calls on our community to join the fight on hunger, restock our shelves, and make sure everyone in our community has access to nutritious food and services.”

Individuals and groups can take action against hunger by participating in the following:
Organize a food or fund drive
Donate funds, food, or other pantry needs to the Franklin Food Pantry
Learn about the impact hunger has on Franklin and Norfolk County
Volunteer at the Franklin Food Pantry
Write to local elected officials and urge them to fight hunger
Wear orange on Hunger Action Day (Friday, September 23, 2023) to spread awareness and show commitment toward ending hunger
Join the conversation by posting photos or stories to social media with #HungerActionMonth For more information on Hunger Action Month visit HungerActionMonth.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. 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.
September is Hunger Action Month
September is Hunger Action Month

Thursday, August 10, 2023

This Franklin Food Pantry conversation provides some insights into their operations in the new facility (audio)

FM #1035 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1035 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Anne McGillis, Director of Operations, and Yianna Zicherman, Warehouse Manager of the Franklin Food Pantry. We had our conversation in the new location of the Franklin Food Pantry at Edwin’s


We talk about their respective roles in the operation of the Pantry. We get some insights into what happens behind the scenes to process the donations and food purchases to help our neighbors. Donations are always welcomed to help keep this operation running smoothly. 


The recording runs about 16 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Anne & Yianna. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1035-franklin-food-pantry-building-campaign-02-07-24-23



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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 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.


Part 1 of the podcast series for the Franklin Food Pantry was shared last week.


Note: As part of my long association with the Franklin Food Pantry, I contribute financially to the building capital campaign. 


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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


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!

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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"


Thursday, March 30, 2023

FPL Community Conversations March 30, at 6 PM - This month’s topic: Food Insecurity!

Community Conversations! Thursday, March 30 @6:00PM

Folks of all ages are welcome to join us each month as we unpack, discuss, and engage with topics relevant both within our community and beyond. Come with an open mind, leave with plenty of food for thought! 

This month’s topic: Food Insecurity!

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Ending Hunger in Massachusetts - Forum scheduled for Wednesday, January 25


As the costs for basic necessities rise, more Massachusetts residents living on the economic margins must choose between buying groceries and paying for housing, transportation, childcare and other basic utilities. It's a dilemma that plays out in hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts households every day. Hunger and access to proper nutrition remain pervasive, with nearly 1 in 3 adults experiencing food insecurity in Massachusetts in 2021, an increase from 2020. Hunger in Massachusetts is significantly higher among Black and Latinx populations, and visits to local food pantries have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Food insecurity rates among Massachusetts college students, seniors, and immigrants also remain surprisingly high. The issue of food insecurity recently gathered national leaders at a historic White House Conference – 50 years in the making – on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health where a national strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related disease in America by 2030.

Now, leaders across the Commonwealth are convening and building a framework, drawing on the expertise spearheaded and piloted here, to advance our state's food security by 2030 as well. Join a State House News Service/MASSterList forum featuring leaders, advocates, and experts for a discussion of opportunities and obstacles for Massachusetts to advance this national strategy across the Commonwealth.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Dylan Rossiter: Dylan.Rossiter@StateHouseNews.com
IN-PERSON EVENT
Wednesday, January 25 | 8:15 a.m. - 10 a.m. | MCLE Boston (Downtown Crossing) | Doors open for light refreshments and networking at 7:30 a.m.
Keynote Remarks (taped)
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern
Program:
7:30 - 8:30 a.m. — Networking and light refreshments

8:30 - 8:45 a.m. — Keynote remarks from U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (taped)

8:45 - 9:45 a.m. — Panel discussion
  • Catherine D'Amato, The Greater Boston Food Bank President and CEO
  • Erin McAleer, Project Bread President and CEO
  • Sen. Jo Comerford, Co-Chair, MA Food System Caucus
  • Rep. Hannah Kane, Co-Chair, MA Food System Caucus
supporting organizations
About Fresh, Children's Health Watch, Community Servings, Daily Table, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, Food Bank of Western MA, MA Food System Collaborative, Mass General Brigham, Mass Law Reform Institute, Stone Soup Café, Worcester County Food Bank

Affiliated News Services, LLC | 568 Washington St, Wellesley, MA 02482
Sent by massterlist@massterlist.com

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Franklin Food Pantry busy this season serving our neighbors and getting ready for the new building

We hope you are having a happy and healthy holiday season! The Pantry is very busy with Holiday Distributions, Turkey Trot, Food Elves and getting our new home ready for our neighbors!

While Franklin is considered an idyllic residential setting, it is not immune from food insecurity. Almost 10 percent of Franklin's residents aren't sure where their next meal will come from. This isn't happening to someone else in Franklin, 

it is happening to us

rendering of the New Franklin Food Pantry
rendering of the New Franklin Food Pantry

The Franklin Food Pantry distributed 26,292 bags of groceries last year to more than 1,100 people in more than 500 households. Many of our neighbors shopped more than twice per month in order to make ends meet. Demand for our services has grown from 150 households per week to more than 180 households per week in the last few months. Franklin Food Pantry's FY2022 statistics show just how much work there is to do and how prevalent food insecurity is in our area.

The Pantry has been fortunate to enjoy our current space for the last 13 years, thanks to the generosity of Rockland Trust. However, we have outgrown our space and cannot expand our programs and services to accommodate the increasing need. The Pantry purchased the Edwin's building at 341 West Central St. and you may be wondering exactly why we need this building.  

It's not about the building, 
it's about what we will do in the building! 

In our new space, we will: 
  • Preserve human dignity with private client meeting rooms. 
  • Expand programs and services through partnership and collaboration. 
  • Create a warm and welcoming space that honors local history. 
  • Increase the client shopping area offering more food and product choices. 
  • Increase community engagement through workshops and trainings. 
  • Ensure safety and ADA compliance with accessible walkways and interior lift 
  • Grow our weekend backpack program and increase mobile pantry sites. 
  • Save time and money with thoughtful and cost-effective design. 
We can't do this without support from YOU – please look for information about how you can contribute to The Pantry's Campaign in the coming months or contact Marsha Tait at mtait@franklinfoodpantry.org for more information.

YOU have the power to create a better 
community for everyone by contributing to 
The Pantry's campaign: 

The New Franklin Food Pantry: 
Nourishing Neighbors, Building Community 


Updates for the new Franklin Food Pantry Building  can be found online ->