Swampscott's Anchor Food Pantry Needs Donations Amid High Demand, Staff Shortages

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Staff shortages and high demand are leading the Swampscott Anchor Food Pantry to reach out to town residents for additional help to start the fall season.

Because of staff shortages, the Pantry said the Greater Boston Food Bank had reduced its monthly weight limit for deliveries by 1,000 pounds at the same time there was an increase in visitors with 112 households served in Swampscott ast month.

"We have not been able to keep the shelves stocked," the Pantry said in a Facebook post. "While we work out a way to purchase supplemental food items by bulk we are asking the community for donations."

The Anchor Food Pantry is especially looking for canned corn, peas, string beans, mixed vegetables, beets, soups and stews, canned tuna fish and chicken, cereal, granola and cereal bars, pasta, canned or dry beans, and hygiene products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream and razors.

The Anchor Food Pantry seeks food items with no short-term expiration date.

To help facilitate donations there will be a Porch Pick Up Food Drive in Swampscott from Sept. 29 through Oct. 6. Residents can email anchorfooddelivery@gmail.com for a pickup time within 24 hours.

Items can also be dropped off at the Anchor Food Pantry at 86 Burrill Street on Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m.

Residents are invited to come in and have a tour while learning more about the Pantry while they are dropping off donations.

There will be a collection bin at Swampscott Town Hall through the entire month of October, and residents can also bring items to the Swampscott Recreation tent at the Swampscott Farmer's Market on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations.

Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)