Food Pantry – Meal Ministry Plans for Upcoming Distributions

 Following COVID-19 government mandates, and to provide a safe environment for both our guests and volunteers, we have changed our food pantry and meal distribution procedures for the immediate future (at least through OCtober). All clothing distributions have been canceled. Our guests are invited to stay in their cars as we will NOT use the church basement as a gathering place for registration and meals. Registration and distribution of a take-out meal will occur at the rear of the church and pre-packaged groceries will be provided outside of the food pantry. These will start at 8:30am on Saturday distributions and at 6:30pm on Friday distributions. 

• Please enter the church parking lot from Gifford Ave.
• Please use Riverside Ave to get to Gifford Ave to keep traffic from backing up on Country Street.
• Guests will form 3 lines (in your cars) in the Gifford Ave side parking lot.
• When asked to proceed, please stop at the back of the church near the kitchen to pick up a pre-packaged meal and register on the computer.
• You may then drive to the pantry circle and pick up pre-packaged groceries.
• After receiving the groceries, you can exit out to County St by the front of the church.
• Parking in the lot between the church and the pantry is reserved for our volunteers.

 We are hoping that this will be a short-term change and we can go back to our more friendly system very soon. Please bear with us as we try to do our best to provide services and keep us all as safe as possible.

The Annelle Delorme-Hagerman Food Pantry (ADHFP) relies on donations of food, money and time. We are a member agency of the Greater Boston Food Bank. This allows us to purchase much of our food at a reduced price. We are also certified to receive United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food, and Mass Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) food at no cost. Because of our involvement in these programs and the generous contributions of our community organizations, churches, and businesses, we are able to use our limited resources to provide a good amount and variety of food to our guests. More information about donating your time, groceries, clothing, or money can be found by going to  the Donate section.

The volunteers who operate the ADHFP contribute many hours and various talents to make the whole operation run. These efforts include ordering food, picking up food, sorting and stocking, registering guests, escorting guests, sorting and distributing clothing, as well as the various cleaning, maintenance, and administrative efforts required to support the actual distribution of food and clothing. Without the efforts of our precious volunteers the ADHFP would accomplish nothing! 

Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer. ~Author Unknown

God and angels don't get paid even though theirs is some of the most important work around. Ditto for volunteers. ~Cherishe Archer

---

Grocery Distributions:

Regular distributions are normally three times a month. We are open on one Friday evening (Usually the second Friday of the month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm), and on two Saturday mornings (usually the last 2 Saturdays of the month from 9:00 am to 10:30 am). Depending on other activities at the church this general schedule may change. 

Please check Upcoming Events below or the Calendar tab for a complete schedule.

Our partners in the Rev Alden Burhoe Meal Ministry provide a meal in conjunction with the grocery distribution. A dinner is served on Friday night and a breakfast is served on Saturday morning prior to the distribution.

Another group of volunteers operate a clothing "boutique" during our grocery distributions. Gently used clothing donations are accepted, sorted, and distributed at each grocery distribution.

Clients are asked to attend only one of the regular grocery distributions each month but are encouraged to partake of all three of the meals.