Grant will be used to provide supplemental nutritional assistance to low-income immigrant families and frail older adults.
Framingham, Mass., December 1, 2022 – Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Metrowest today announced it received a $20,000 grant awarded by the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation. The support will allow JFS to provide supplemental nutritional assistance to low-income immigrant families and frail older adults in the Metrowest region through a mobile food pantry.
The mobile food pantry will supply fresh foods primarily to low-income immigrant families and frail older adults. The mobile pantry will reduce food waste by securing perishable food that would otherwise be thrown out by businesses, including wholesalers and retailers, and end up in landfills, while employing a fast turnaround from the time it’s secured to the time it’s delivered to people in need. In addition to expanding food capacity, the ability to bring the mobile pantry into communities-in-need would remove barriers that prevent access and do so efficiently and with dignity. This pilot program will also enable mobile food pantry distributions to be held in conjunction with other JFS mobile office services (citizenship clinics, vaccination events, seasonal clothing distributions, etc.).
“I want to express sincerest thanks to the Foundation for this generous award,” said Chief Performance, Learning and Strategy Officer, Rosemarie Coelho. ““With the advent and persistence of COVID-19, JFS saw a dramatic rise in the number of people seeking food assistance – a pattern that continues. While this surge has impacted residents of all backgrounds, it has disproportionately impacted minority households and older adults. Since March of 2020, JFS has distributed tens of thousands of groceries and prepared meals to struggling, frail older adults and to immigrant families in need of food security. This funding will enable JFS to fund the operational costs of the mobile food pantry and bring basic needs assistance to people where they live, thus reducing barriers to support. This grant comes at a crucial time, and we are truly grateful for this grant and partnership.”
About Middlesex Savings Bank
Middlesex Savings Bank, founded in 1835 and headquartered in Natick, Mass., is one of the largest mutual banks in Massachusetts with almost $6 billion in assets. The bank has been committed to providing outstanding value in consumer banking and business banking products for more than 185 years. The FDIC insured bank has more than 30 offices located in 28 communities – Acton, Ashland, Bedford, Bellingham, Boxborough, Concord, Framingham, Franklin, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Littleton, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Natick, Needham, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wakefield, Walpole, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough and Westford. For more information, please visit www.middlesexbank.com, and connect on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Metrowest
Founded in 1979, JFS is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to Accelerating Social, Academic and Health Equity and serves over 7,500 people within the Metrowest and Greater Boston regions each year. Programs and services support the academic success of at-risk children, provide basic needs and case management assistance for low-income families, and support the needs of frail older adults so they may live safely and independently in the community. JFS’ sound fiscal management practices have earned it a 4-star rating (with a 100% PERFECT SCORE!) from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. Local residents can see how the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation grant and local funds are benefiting JFS by visiting us at JFSMW.ORG.
JFS of Metrowest
Amanda Coughlin
Senior Director
acoughlin@jfsmw.org
508-875-3100 x340