Franklin Food Pantry Will Be Open Next Week (March 17 - 20)

Important Update From The Pantry

The Franklin Food Pantry will be open regular hours next week, March 17 - March 20. We will be open to our current neighbors and anyone who needs us including families who count on the breakfast and lunch options provided by the Franklin area schools. We will provide a prepackaged bag full of nonperishable items to help you through this time. You can visit us daily if needed. We will reopen on March 24 with our regular shopping hours and procedures.

How can you help?

We are so grateful to our community and have received many questions on how you can help us during these uncertain times. If you are able, the best way to support The Pantry is through a monetary donation. Monetary donations allow us to purchase the items we need at a cheaper price through the Greater Boston Food Bank. If you are interested in donating items, please visit our current needs list. https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/give-help/donate-food/current-needs-list/

Please check back regularly as we update frequently. Thank you for your continued support of the Franklin Food Pantry.

Please stay safe and reach out if we can help in any way: 508-528-3115

Thank you! 

 

Franklin Food Pantry Will Be Open Next Week (March 17 - 20)

Hockomock Area YMCA Hosts Food Drive To Help Feed Families

The Hockomock Area YMCA welcomes donations to the sixth annual Stop &a Shop Healthy Futures Food Drive, which will take place at all three Hockomock Area YMCA branches and at locations within the community March 9th to April 15th. This work is part of the Y’s Healthy Futures Initiative, a commitment to promoting physical activity and nutrition to improve health outcomes for youth and communities, which is generously supported by Stop & Shop.

Over the last year, the Y has worked collaboratively with school districts and food pantries to create take home food programs onsite at local schools. Today there exist 34 school-based pantries in Bellingham, Franklin, Hopedale, Mansfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, North Attleboro, Plainville, Sharon and Wrentham alone—representing a 90% increase in one year. While local food pantries provide a critical service in our communities, school-based food pantry options can complement community offerings. 

Hockomock Area YMCA Hosts Food Drive  To Help Feed Families

These models allow students to discreetly access a supply of healthy food directly from their schools, especially prior to the weekend when there are often challenges with reliable sources of healthy meals. Additionally, school personnel who know the children and families in the district can help to identify those who may be in need of this service or who may not be comfortable accessing a traditional food pantry.

Collections from the food drive will be delivered to the schools by YMCA staff and volunteers and will go a long way to reduce child hunger and alleviate household food insecurity. Having healthy food available at schools removes challenging barriers to food access for busy families, such as long work hours and transportation. Members of the community can directly support local students by donating healthy, kid-friendly food to the 2020 food drive.

Suggested items include: oatmeal cups/packets, macaroni & cheese boxes/cups, granola bars (nut free whole grain preferred), applesauce or mandarin orange cups (no added sugar), whole grain crackers, tuna pouches in water (low sodium), Progresso chicken soup (low sodium), rice boxes/cups, Barilla Ready Pasta and pasta boxes. Grocery store gift card donations can also be made in person at the YMCA Member Service Desks.

"these programs are really a win, win, win"

Via Commonwealth Magazine, we find that the State is suspending the HIP program as of Feb 24. The Farmers Market today in Franklin is not affected but the next markets in Mar and Apr will be.

"AT A MONTHLY WINTER FARMERS market run by Roots Rising in Pittsfield, shoppers can buy apples, canned tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, and winter squash. A shopper using SNAP benefits can spend $1 to buy $2 of produce under the state’s Healthy Incentives Program, or HIP.

But as of Feb. 24, shoppers on public benefits will no longer get that extra money. The state is suspending HIP for the winter, with plans to restore it May 15. State officials say the program – which doubles the impact of SNAP benefits when produce is bought from a participating farm – is a victim of its own success and has outgrown its budget.

Without a temporary suspension of the program, state officials say its $6.5 million state appropriation would run out quickly and no money would be left during the busier buying and growing season this summer.

Advocates for farmers and low-income individuals say the loss of HIP will hurt shoppers and sellers. Recently, 89 legislators wrote to Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Amy Kershaw protesting the suspension, and the lack of notice."

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/state-government/state-suspending-farm-food-benefits-program/

Winter Farmers Market

When: Sat, February 15, 10am – 2pm

Where: Fairmount Fruit Farm, 887 Lincoln St, Franklin, MA 02038, USA (map)

Description: A winter farmers market where local farms and crafters/vendors can gather together to sell products and network within their community

 

 

"these programs are really a win, win, win"

Franklin Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger on May 12 - Franklin Food Pantry Asks for Special Items and No Expired Food

The Franklin Food Pantry is appealing to the community for some very specific items in this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. On Saturday, May 12, Franklin letter carriers will pick up donated goods from town residents at their mailboxes and deliver them to the Franklin Food Pantry.

Because the Pantry is currently overstocked with green beans, black beans, chicken soup and tomato soup, it is asking for residents to please consider donating the items most needed:

• Canned fruit
• Cream of (any kind) soup
• Chowder (any kind)
• Corn
• Cranberry sauce
• Coffee, tea and cocoa
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes
• Deodorant
• Liquid dish soap
• Liquid hand soap

“In our current building, we have very limited space to store a surplus of items,” said Erin Lynch, executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry. “That’s why we are asking the community for these very specific items, as well as no expired food. We are so appreciative of all the donations we receive, but unfortunately, we have space limitations.”
The Pantry receives roughly 14,000 pounds of food donations monthly. Every item is checked for expiration dates by volunteers. The expired food must be disposed of, which costs the Pantry time and money. Processing expired food items is challenging for the nonprofit because of its limited resources.

Nearly 100 volunteers helped process food donations
in last year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive 

According to Lynch, “We receive thousands of pounds of outdated products each year. We are asking the community to please check expiration dates on their donations so that we can prevent excess waste and avoid volunteer burnout. This would be such a huge help to us, and much appreciated by our hard-working volunteers.”

Volunteers are still needed for the event. If anyone is interested, they can sign up online at https://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/volunteers-needed-for-stamp-out-hunger-may-12/.
Franklin residents can donate to the food drive by leaving a bag of non-perishable food where their letter carrier normally delivers their mail on Saturday, May 12. Some residents may receive the special yellow Stamp Out Hunger grocery bags to use, but any paper or plastic bag can be used. Letter carriers will pick up the bags during their normal mail rounds and will deliver the food to the Franklin Food Pantry.

“We are so thankful to the letter carriers, and a supportive community, for helping us acquire the items that are most needed,” said Lynch. “We have nearly 1,000 individuals who count on us for food on a regular basis. We could not provide for them without the support of such a generous community.”

Lynch said that in lieu of donating goods, individuals who want to support the Pantry can donate online at www.franklinfoodpantry.org.

Franklin Letter Carriers picked up 9,000 pounds of
donations from Franklin residents 

“Monetary donations give us the flexibility to purchase what we need, when we need it,” said Lynch. “We can also purchase fresh food such as fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products to supplement the canned and boxed food donations. We count on both types of donations to provide a wholesome and balanced inventory of products for our clients.”

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is a nationwide effort organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) that provides food to local food banks and pantries that would otherwise be faced with depleted stocks during the summer months. The food drive is the nation’s largest single-day drive, collecting a record 80 million pounds of nonperishable food last year.  For more information on the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, visit www.helpstampouthunger.com. 

In the News: "Theater of Life" film; Caleb Haven Martin

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"On Thursday, March 29, at 7 p.m. at the First Universalist Society in Franklin (FUSF), 262 Chestnut St., Franklin, the FUSF food group Home Made will screen the documentary “Theater of Life.” 

“Theater of Life” is a 2016 Canadian feature-length film written and directed by Peter Svatek about a gourmet soup kitchen created by Italian chef Massimo Bottura and 60 international colleagues, including Mario Batali, Rene Redzepi and Alain Ducasse, using food waste from Expo 2015 in Milan. 

The film addresses the issue of food waste and the 1.3 billion tons of food thrown away annually around the world — one-third of all food produced. “Theater of Life” takes pains to study the persistence and perseverance of the disenfranchised while celebrating gastronomic talent."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20180326/fusf-to-screen-theater-of-life-documentary



More info on the movie can be found online http://www.theateroflifemovie.com

"Caleb Haven Martin, who attended Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter School in Franklin, died on Wednesday due to injuries he sustained in a car accident on March 17. 

Martin, a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst, died at the Cleveland Clinic in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, according to his obituary. He lived with his family in Senegal, where his parents, William and Katherine Martin, have a ministry. 

Martin was driving to UMass after “visiting a friend in Wisconsin when he hit a deer in the highway. As he was calling 911 he was hit by another car from behind. He was taken to a local trauma center in Cleveland with a severe brain injury, and was put into a medically induced coma so his body could heal,” according to a YouCaring page set up in Martin’s honor by Janice Thompson."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180326/former-franklin-resident-dies-in-crash-returning-to-umass

St. Vincent de Paul Freedom from Food Hunger Drive

Once again the St. Mary's Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is excited to announce its 7th annual Freedom From Hunger Food Drive on the weekend of June 24th and 25th. 

In order to receive a variety of nonperishable items we are requesting the following items; whole grain crackers, cereal, spaghetti sauce and pasta, peanut butter and jelly, individual containers of Jell-O/fruit/pudding, all paper products, detergent, canned fruit, fruit juice, and applesauce.

All items may be dropped off in the Sacred Heart Hall, (lower level of St. Mary's church or at any of the doors of the church throughout the weekend of June 24th and 25th.

Having breakfast food, healthy snacks, fruit juice and nutritious meals can help people face the day with a positive attitude. Your donations make this possible. Thank you all for your help and support.

St. Vincent de Paul Freedom from Food Hunger Drive

The Kids Count Data Center is a resource for you

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Kids Count Data Center is a Resource  Everyone engaged in public policy debates about improving the lives of children in Massachusetts needs trusted data that can inform analysis of challenges and potential solutions. With so many different tools and resources, it can be hard to find trusted information. That's why we want to make sure our readers know about the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT Data Center. It contains thousands of child well-being indicators related to education, poverty, health and youth risk factors. By being able to filter by state, city, county and congressional district, users are able to access data that is relevant in their communities and comparable to other places. As part of the KIDS COUNT network, MassBudget manages this national data resource in Massachusetts and incorporates additional local data. To give an example, the state's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) improves the economic security of working families. The EITC raises the after-tax incomes of over 400,000 low-wage workers and their families, 13 percent of all tax filers in Massachusetts. Those who benefit are mostly working parents. It also helps a smaller number of other low-wage workers. The KIDS COUNT Data Center makes it easy to see how many tax filers benefit from the EITC in each city and town in the Commonwealth. With a few clicks, you can also map the share of filers that received the EITC across the state. If you haven't done so lately, visit the KIDS COUNT Data Center today and see what it has to offer. You can also Tweet about it, and like it on FaceBook. Visit the KIDS COUNT Data Center here (LINK). The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

I queried the Kids Count Data to see what the reduced lunch price data looked like for Franklin and the neighboring communities. It was easy to do. You can add other school districts to this table or query other types of data.

• The table view of the data

Kids Count Data for local reduced lunch price data - table

• The line chart view of the data

Kids Count Data for local reduced lunch price data - line chart

In the News: Fire Dept busy, hunger largely invisible problem, MIlford tops FHS in football

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The Fire Department fought two fires on the same street Friday afternoon - one at a home and another at a compost pile. 

Both took place on Beaver Street - the house fire at 73 Beaver St., the compost fire at the town recycling center at 455 Beaver St. 

According to Fire Chief Gary McCarraher, the house fire was reported around 4 p.m. He said three adults and a child were in the home then, and that all three were got out safely. The fire, he said, was under control by 4:37 p.m."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160916/franklin-firefighters-have-busy-day

"While more than 10 percent of eastern Massachusetts residents struggle to put food on the table, Greater Boston Food Bank President and CEO Catherine D’Amato characterizes hunger as a largely invisible problem. 

She hopes a new awareness campaign will help bring hunger out of the shadows. The Greater Boston Food Bank, which provides food for more than 550 member agencies in 190 communities, is participating in the national Hunger Action Month this September. D’Amato recently discussed the campaign with Wicked Local and shared her thoughts on hunger in Massachusetts."

The Franklin Food Pantry is a proud member agency of the Greater Boston Food Bank

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160916/food-bank-sheds-light-on-hidden-epidemic

"It had been a long time—20 years, in fact—since the Milford football team had beaten rival Franklin. While they have only been in the same league for five years, the Panthers had been a pain in the Scarlet Hawks’ side for two decades. That includes last year when the Panthers overcame a 14-point, second-half deficit to upend Milford in the final minute. 

This time, though, the Scarlet Hawks simply refused to lose. Although the Panthers manufactured a game-tying drive to even the score in the final seconds of the first half, Milford utilized its dominant running game to ultimately pull away with a 35-7 victory over visiting Franklin."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/sports/20160916/milford-35-franklin-7-scarlet-hawks-win-worth-wait

“Everything about Daily Table is not normal”

From the Boston Globe Magazine, one of the Game Changers for 2016

"As the executive chef of Daily Table, the nonprofit grocery in Dorchester that has been an experiment in bringing food rescue efforts to the marketplace, Samad is faced with these challenges every day. The store is the creation of Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s, who worked at the company for 31 years. 

Daily Table receives shipments of excess food donations from groceries, suppliers, and food rescue organizations throughout Greater Boston, sometimes without much warning. Then, Samad and his team must find ways to make healthy food on the fly, using creative methods to prep, prepare, preserve, and serve inexpensive food for its low-income neighborhood store, all while ensuring as little as possible goes to waste (it’s like the Food Network’s hit show Chopped, only the one with the fewest leftovers wins). Adding to the challenge: All of their prepared meals must meet their strict nutritional guidelines. Remarkably, most meals cost from $2 to $4, allowing shoppers using food stamps to get the most for their money."

Daily Table turns donations of excess food into prepared meals, most costing $2 to $4.
(Globe photo: JONATHAN WIGGS/GLOBE STAFF/FILE)

Continue reading the article online (subscription maybe required)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/05/13/daily-table-mission-stop-food-waste-and-feed-hungry/z7BtUqM6uhmsPAi6CUkgHO/story.html

• For more info about Daily Table, visit them on the internet  http://dailytable.org/

Find other Game Changers online
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2016/05/12/who-made-globe-list-game-changers/F8JzcyATcJSBoPFFXDVpxL/story.html

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Annual Holiday Food Drive to Continue to the End of the Year

	Norfolk County Registry of Deeds
	Register O'Donnell Says Annual Holiday Food Drive to Continue to the End of the Year Saying that the demand this year appears to be greater than ever, Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell announced today that the Registry's Annual Holiday Food Drive will continue to run through December 31, 2015. "Here in Norfolk County," noted Register O'Donnell, "some of our less fortunate neighbors continue to face economic hardship. We know this because we see each month the Notice to Foreclose Mortgage recordings that take place. Furthermore, at a statewide level, Project Bread noted that 1 out of every 10 households in Massachusetts is food insecure. The Greater Boston Food Bank has distributed more food product the week before Thanksgiving than ever before, including produce. The signs are visibly out there that people need help." Local pantry officials agree food donations, especially as we head into the winter and holiday months, are critical to their operations. "The holiday season is the busiest time of year. For the past 40 years, we have relied on the generosity of our local communities to donate food and help neighbors in need," noted Rick Doane, Executive Director of Interfaith Social Services of Quincy. Unfortunately, the issue of hunger does not stop at any border. Rene Feuerman, Director of the Brookline Food Pantry noted, "Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in the number of individuals and families needing assistance. Just this past summer, we added 100 families to our needs list. Currently, we are feeding 850 households here in Brookline." "Non-perishable food items such as rice, canned vegetables and soups, spaghetti, tomato sauce and paste are quite popular. Toiletries and paper products are also greatly appreciated," noted O'Donnell. These and other items can be brought directly to the Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham from Monday, November 23, 2015 through Thursday, December 31, 2015. A donation bin has been set up in the Registry building lobby which is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 4:30PM. Those who wish to donate but are unable to travel to the Registry can do so by donating food supplies at their local pantries across Norfolk County. "Dropping off a food donation at the Registry or a local food pantry could make the difference in a family's holiday. Working together, we can make a huge difference this holiday season," concluded Register O'Donnell. For a list of local food pantries, please visit the Registry of Deeds website at www.norfolkdeeds.org. To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds for follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, located at 649 High Street, Dedham, is the principal office for real property in Norfolk County. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101, or on the web at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Register William P. O'Donnell Norfolk County Registry of Deeds email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org phone: 781-234-3336 web: http://www.norfolkdeeds.org

Forward email Norfolk County Registry of Deeds | 649 High Street | Dedham, | MA | 02026-1831

listing of Food Pantry's in Norfolk County

In the News: Sabolinski gets 'exemplary', St Vincent DePaul food drive

School Committee members were effusive in their praise of Superintendent Maureen Sabolinski, whose performance they evaluated this week. 

At Tuesday night's committee meeting, members said they had rated Sabolinski as "exemplary" in all four categories in which she is judged. 

Committee Chairwoman Paula Mullen gave a brief overview of the contents of the evaluation. 

"I think Maureen is very, very data-driven and collaborative," she said. "She's a creative and effective problem-solver."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151016/NEWS/151016553/1994/NEWS

The St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Mary’s Parish in Franklin, One Church Square, will hold its seventh annual Thanksgiving Food Drive from Nov. 1 through Nov. 22, to provide a holiday dinner to those in need and to restock its food pantry shelves. 

Suggested items to donate include applesauce, cranberry juice, popcorn, peanut butter, jelly, jams, cookies, crackers, bread mixes, pudding, candy corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, cereal, fruit cocktail, coffee, tea, cocoa, boxes of chocolates, canned yams and other vegetables, rice, chowder and a Thanksgiving tablecloth or decoration. 

Donations may be dropped off any time and may be placed in the boxes at the doors of the church.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20151016/NEWS/151016770/1994/NEWS

MassBudget: Large gains in health coverage, some growth in incomes, big challenges remain

MassBudget analysis of this week's US Census data release

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Large gains in health coverage, some growth in incomes, big challenges remain With the release this week of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we see strong evidence that the Affordable Care Act is working. More than 8 million people who had been without health insurance were able to get coverage in 2014, leading to the largest drop in decades in the percent of people without coverage. While Massachusetts already led the nation, even here 28,000 more people have become insured. This expansion of health care security will directly improve the lives of individuals and families across the Commonwealth and across the nation. The Affordable Care Act also saves our state money by providing federal funding for Medicaid costs previously paid by the state. [For MassBudget's full analysis of the recent Census releases, please click HERE.] The census also reports that incomes in Massachusetts increased. And that child poverty declined for the first time since 2008. But we have a long way to go. Incomes are barely growing across the country and more than one in five children nationally (and more than one in seven in Massachusetts) lived in poverty in 2014. While it is clear that our state and nation face real challenges, the new Supplemental Poverty Measure provides important evidence of the effectiveness of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), SNAP benefits (formerly called food stamps), Social Security, and other supports that help lower income families and individuals pay for basic necessities. Census data show that these government efforts have lifted tens of millions of people above the poverty level. The national EITC and Child Tax Credit, for instance, combined to lift roughly 10 million people out of poverty in 2014, including more than 5 million children. In Massachusetts, we have taken important steps in the last year - raising the minimum wage and increasing the EITC. But on both of those issues, and many others, there is much more that can be done to make sure that everyone who works in our Commonwealth earns enough to make ends meet. For our complete analysis, please click HERE. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

“There is no typical hungry person"

“Hunger is a very real, chronic condition in our state,” Ellen Parker, executive director of Project Bread, said in a statement announcing the distribution of funds. 

“There is no typical hungry person. And we know that it takes more than one solution to solve a problem as complex, and yet as personal, as hunger. Each of the organizations we funded provides a critical role in helping to solve hunger in the community.” 

Project Bread runs and supports programs that connect community farms to local food pantries; screen families for hunger within health centers; and make it possible for people in need to pick up food with dignity.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1155175560/Local-food-pantries-get-support-from-Project-Bread#ixzz2hVCrOW1h

For more about Project Bread visit their webpage http://www.projectbread.org/

To contribute to the Franklin Food Pantry, you can do so securely via their webpage
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/

Hey, there goes the Franklin Food Pantry!

Friday was a day to be proud of. The Food Pantry took delivery of their new truck. Thanks to Franklin Ford, Signs by Cam and many others to help make this a reality!

Goodbye old van, you served us well. Hello new truck, you will help us do more to help our neighbors!

side view, new truck

rear view, lift gate

safety feature, height in readable type via mirror

inside the cargo bay

checking out the lift gate - down

checking out the lift gate - up

for additional information on the Franklin Food Pantry, please visit http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/


Note: This was originally posted to the Franklin Food Pantry webpage.
Disclosure: I am proud to serve on the Board of Directors for the Food Pantry.