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Food Assistance Resource List
Meals on Wheels- 781-729-8353Food delivery. Includes 1 hot and 1 cold meal per day. Cold meal-salad, bread, sandwich, fruit. Hot meal-veggies, protein, starch. Delivery time 10:30-12. Caters for allergy concerns. Available 5 days/week. Can order 1 or all 5 days. Can choose any day(s) Monday-Friday. Not available on weekends. Food is prepared in the Winchester Hospital Kitchen.
Who could benefit–Taking new clients and have broadened list. Currently, no age or income related restrictions. Only restriction is you need to live in Winchester.
How to set up: Call 781-720-8353
Cost- 4.25/day. Can get this reduced to 2.00/day through applying via the Jenks centerContact info- Call 781-720-8353
Other- Looking for volunteers for driving. No help accepted in kitchen at Winchester Hospital.En Ka Food Pantry
1037 Main Street, Winchester 781-369-5844. socialservice@enkasociety.org
Providing non perishable food and personal care items to persons living in Winchester who do not have adequate financial resources to meet basic needs. Use of the En Ka pantry is limited to one time per month and does not prohibit individuals or families visiting the Woburn pantry. The En Ka pantry is open to all households, through pre-arrainged appointments.
Council for Social Concern-Call 781-935-6495
Serves Woburn and Winchester only. Does not go by income, just residency. People can get food 1x/month- currently 1 box and 2 bags. Box and bags include staples- Peanut butter, pasta, sauce, rice, beans, soup, box milk. Meat-chicken, pork, meatballs, dairy if available. Cheese and eggs. In addition, people will receive gift cards to Market Basket or Stop and Shop. Monetary value of gift card is according to family size. Food is currently brought out to client’s cars. Unable to shop in store (as done previously) for infection control.
Who could benefit- anyone. No income or age restrictions. Need appointment. Clients can stop by and pick up their bag on that day.
How to set up: Need to make an appointment by calling 781-935-6495. Clients are set up with a monthly appointment time to stop by and pick up their bags
Pick up times are:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:45-12, 1:30-3. Wednesdays 6-7. As noted above, boxes will be brought out to cars. No shopping inside store as was done previously.Cost-none
Contact info: 781-935-6495Jenks Center
Historically has served Winchester residents over age 55. Now serving anyone in need. Is partnered with Meals on Wheels for food delivery. Currently not offering “Eating Together Program” due to infection control concerns.
Who could benefit- Anyone. Staff is taking staple grocery orders for people who can’t get out to buy staples
How to set up: For meal delivery, best to call Meals on Wheels directly at 781-729-8353
Contact- for emergency shopping and other concerns (781) 721-7136 info@jenkscenter.orgWinchester Got Lunch
The program is partnered with the Town of Winchester Public School system. On daily basis, there are kids who receive subsidy for daily lunch and breakfast. The town is obliged to make this happen in crisis. After Covid-19, Families were originally asked to come to schools to pick up food, but they did not. Then WGL started delivering breakfast and lunch foods they can prepare themselves to the families instead. This will end tomorrow. Instead, starting Monday 3/30 WGL will deliver gift cards to Stop and Shop so families can buy food items they need and will eat.
In addition to families served by the town subsidized lunches, WGL will serve anyone with food insecurity. They will also be given gift cards for Stop and Shop so they can choose what foods their families will eat. WGL also has an emergency box of non-perishables for those who need more immediate assistance.
Who could benefit- Focus is on families with children, including 0-5 age group. Do not need to be on Winchester public school lunch program. Anyone who needs help can get it. Will not refuse anyone. Seniors will be referred to Jenks Center to partner with Meals on Wheels.
How to set up: Call 781-856-8700. Calls are confidential, as are deliveries.
Cost- none
Contact info-781-856-8700 www.winchestergotlunch.org
Other-not looking for volunteers for driving. Would like monetary donations via website.Minute Man- 888-222-6171
Meals on Wheels and Grocery shopping, meal prep, personal care available. Hot lunch provided for Seniors who live alone and are at risk. Serves the following towns: Winchester, Woburn, Wilmington, Arlington, Burlington, Lexington, Bedford, Concord, Carlisle, Lincoln, Acton, Maynard, Stowe, Boxborough, Littleton, Harvard.
Who can benefit-Seniors who live alone and are at risk.
How to set up/Contact- call 888-222-6171 or apply online at www.minutemansenior.org
Cost-WIC-Women Infants and Children
Description-WIC is a nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services, Who can benefit- pregnant and breastfeeding women, children ages 0-5. Cost-free of charge for Massachusetts families who qualify.
How to set up-call for intake information
Contact: (800) 942-1007.Greater Boston Food Bank/ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Description GBFB offers assistance with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. SNAP benefits are put on an electronic card that is used like an ATM or bank card, and can be used at most supermarkets, convenience stores, and some farmers’ markets.
Who can benefit? SNAP is for everyone—families, seniors, disabled, homeless, unemployed, employed, veterans, and active military. If you are within the income limits, you may be eligible.
Cost-varies according to income level
https://www.gbfb.org/need-food/
website has link to local food pantries. (See my list below)How to set up- Contact to determine eligibility, to complete an application, or for help with an existing case:
Contact- 617-598-5022
Email: SNAP@gbfb.org
Online: GBFB.org/SNAPFood Pantries (this information was obtained from the GBFB website)
Anchor Baptist Church Pantry
29A Montvale Ave.
Woburn, MA 01801
(781) 932-0765
Hours of Operation: Saturdays 9-10They make up packed banana boxes from what stores don’t sell. Currently not much is coming in. Boxes include 70-80.00 worth of groceries. Staples. Seasonal produce and dairy (milk, cheese and eggs). Pick up food from GBFB on Friday and give out on Saturdays. Only give packed bags, not gift cards.
Who can benefit: First come, first served. Need ID that shows they live in the community. Serve towns of Winchester, Woburn, Stoneham, Lexington, Burlington. They deliver on a limited bases in cases where people can’t come out. E.g Shut-ins, single moms with no car, elderly
Cost-none
Contact- (781) 932-0765Other- are accepting volunteers-coordinate with Deacon to unload bus from Greater Boston Food Bank and to pack boxes on Fridays 11-1. Frank Sheehan 781-254-5316 (referred by Evelyn Johnson- Pastor’s wife)
Arlington Eats Inc
74 Pleasant St.
Arlington, MA 02476
2.43 milesFood bank. Amount of food given varies
Who can benefit-Serve Arlington residents only. If there is no other way a family can get to the food pantry, they will deliver. No forms to fill out. They serve anyone who comes.
Cost- nothing
Contact-339-707-6757
Hours of Operation:
Wednesday 09:00 AM-10:30 AM
Wednesday 05:30 PM – 7:00 PMYMCA/Malden Hope Chest Pantry
99 Dartmouth St
Malden, MA 02155(781) 324-7680
Hours of Operation:Mon-Friday 10:00 AM-2:00 PM
Saturday. 9-12Food bank. First time clients need to register which is done when people come. People are entitled to get food 1x/week. They service all surrounding towns. No need to show income verification.
Who is eligible-anyone from any town.
Cost-nothing
Contact-(781) 324-7680SVDP/St. Raphael’s Food Pantry
38 Boston Ave
Medford, MA 02155
(781) 488-5444
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday 10:00 AM-12:00 PMUnitarian Universalist Church Pantry
147 High Street
Medford, MA 02155
(781) 396-4549
Hours of Operation:
Thursday 6:00 PM- 7:30 PMFriends of Francis Food Pantry
441 Fellsway West
Medford, MA 02155
(781) 391-5048
Who can benefit-Open to residents of all local communities. No proof of income required, but you must bring a utility bill, rental lease or something with proof of home occupancy. Amount of food given varies depending on availabilityCost-nothing
Contact-(781) 391-5048
Hours of Operation:
Thursday 3:00 PM-4:30 PMAdventist Community Services Food Pantry
9 Gerry Street
Stoneham, MA 02180
(781) 438-1374
Description-food bank
Who can benefit-serves Stoneham residents only
Cost-none
Contact- (781) 438-1374
Hours of Operation:
Monday 02:00 PM-04:00 PM
Wednesday 12:30 PM-1:30 PMBelmont Food Pantry
455 Concord Ave
Belmont, MA 02478Food bank.
Who can benefit- Belmont residents only. Require Belmont residencey proof but not proof of income. Food is given the first time.
Contact-(617) 504-3253
Hours of Operation:
Saturday 08:00 AM 10:00 AM 1st;3rdProject Bread
This organization receives daily updates from the Governor’s office about available food at Food Pantries in the greater Boston area. The list changes daily. Interested families should call project bread directly to get daily information on which pantries to call. They are also partnered with SNAP. (see above information)
Contact information: www.projectbread.org/covid19.
617-723-5000Tags: hungry
