Upcoming Closures!
The Newton Food Pantry will be closed on Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30.
The USDA explains that “more than 41 million Americans receive food-buying benefits through SNAP,” and those benefits allow them to put food on the table every month. Those who have been benefiting from the extra SNAP benefits will be receiving around $82 less each month, says NPR, noting that some households may even lose more than $250! Ellen Vollinger, SNAP director at Food Research & Action Center, stated that this removal will disproportionately affect the elderly as their monthly allotment will decrease from $281 to only $23. This has had a direct impact on our clients, as 30% are seniors.
Without the extra benefits, especially when inflation is so high, an unprecedented number of Americans are turning to their local food pantries for help. March marked the Newton Food Pantry’s busiest month ever with over 1107 visits + deliveries to 617 households and 1,407 individuals.
Due to the ongoing increase in client numbers, we will be expanding distribution hours this September. Starting September 1, in addition to our weekly Wednesday hours, clients will also be able to schedule appointments to shop on Thursday from 10am to 1pm. These expanded hours will require more support. If you are available and interested in volunteering on Thursdays this fall, please reach out to our Client & Volunteer Engagement Manager: alambert@newtonfoodpantry.org.
Serving our neighbors in need could not be possible without the incredible volunteer and financial support from our community of families, organizations and businesses, and for that, we are immensely grateful.