Natick Service Council Gets $37K Greater Boston Food Bank Grant

NATICK, MA — The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, awarded $37,510 to Natick Service Council to support its ability to combat hunger in the Natick community.

A GBFB partner, Natick Service Council is an independent, non-profit organization that connects, engages, and collaborates with the community to support Natick neighbors who are experiencing hardship or economic uncertainty by promoting self-sufficiency.

The annual grant program, originally founded in 2013, has now been investing in GBFB partner agencies for 10 years. This investment aims to strengthen Natick Service Council’s (NSC) ability to provide nutritious food to Natick residents in need and to fund a new Pantry Manager position.

In 2022, inflation ran at 9.1 percent and food prices were projected to increase 11.5 percent.

To respond to client needs, NSC has had to increase Heart Healthy Food Pantry appointments by 33 percent. Mobile Market appointments have grown from 35 weekly appointments to 80 weekly appointments.

In the past six months NSC has added over 100 additional appointments to food pantry hours, more than doubled mobile market appointments and have increased overall financial assistance by 39 percent this year.

“With the rising costs of food due to inflation, Natick Service Council could not survive without the support of Greater Boston Food Bank on many levels,” says Dan Shea, Natick Service Council, Executive Director. “From their investment in our programs, to providing the ability to purchase food at a reduced rate for our clients, they have provided us the ability to serve the Natick community in a very significant way.”

This grant follows the release GBFB’s third annual report on food insecurity, equity and access in Massachusetts. The 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; with Hispanic, Black and LGBTQ+-identifying adults experiencing the highest rates of food insecurity.

“It is solely through collaboration with our network of partner agencies that we are able to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts on such a large scale,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB.

“In response to the sustained inequities in food access, we aim to continue to invest in those communities facing a heightened need for food and drive equitable progress towards hunger relief through strategic grant making to our network of partner agencies. As food costs continue to rise nationwide, we look forward to seeing how these funds bolster Natick Service Council’s ability to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in Natick.”