Salute to Volunteers

Sat, 26 Apr 2003 13:18:17 -0400

Agnes Lynch knows what hardship is all about. Ten years ago, her husband had lost his job and suffered a broken neck in a car accident.  "We knew first hand what it was to need assistance," she said. "After we went through that, I wondered how we could give back."  When the Lynch family's fortunes changed for the better, she decided to help others who found themselves in the same hard times from which she had just recovered. She did this by establishing the Braintree Community Food Pantry.  In recognition of Lynch's accomplishments and generous spirit, The Patriot Ledger has selected her as its Local Hero for 2003.  April is the 10th anniversary of the opening of the pantry, said Melissa Faulkner, 17, the Braintree High School student who nominated Lynch for the "I admire that she gives up all her time to helping those in need," said Melissa, who has volunteered at the Braintree Community Food Pantry for about two and a half years.  The Patriot Ledger Local Heroes tribute gives area students a chance to nominate a person who has made a positive difference in their lives and in the community.  "We ran a series on being a hero in our Newspapers in Education section earlier this year, so we decided we would offer local kids a chance to choose a local hero," said Lisa Morrissey, The Patriot Ledger's educational services coordinator.  Morrissey, who was on the committee that chose the Local Hero finalists, said she was struck by the fact that Lynch and the other people who work at the Braintree Community Food Pantry, which serves about 75 people weekly, volunteer their time, accomplish so much and are still looking to expand their operations.  Lynch said her faith in God inspired her to start the food pantry. She arranged to get space in the First Baptist Church of Braintree to house the pantry.  "She organized the food pantry as a calling from God," Melissa wrote in her nomination entry.  Lynch says she recognized that the pantry's clients were in need of more than just food.  "We try to help them," said Lynch. "We don't just give them the brown paper bag."  The pantry offers classes on keeping a check book and balancing a household budget, posts job listings, provides birthday gifts for children, helps families obtain food stamps and gives out gift baskets for the holidays.  Lynch also began the Adopt-A-Child program, which collects donations from the community to provide holiday gifts for needy children.  All the people who work at the Braintree Community Food Pantry are volunteers.  "A lot of the volunteers have been here since the beginning," Lynch said.  She credits the program's success to the honesty of the community and the faith base of the Braintree Community Food Pantry.  "It was our faith in God that kept us going," she said. "I would also like to extend my appreciation to the community for supporting us to help reach out into Braintree and make a difference."  Melissa said she nominated Lynch for the award because she admires "her continued hard work and dedication to those who are truly in need."  "We're small, but we do the job," said Lynch. "And I have to say we do it well."  Morrissey said that the committee received many nominations from students.  "All of the kids who wrote in were so sincere and sweet," said Morrissey.  "It's amazing that every one of them wrote in about people who were so giving of their time.  "It's not like they chose athletes and other people who are often called heroes. They picked from the heart."

Food Pantries, report increase in needy

Fri, 17 Nov 2000 13:31:03 -0500

A Weymouth food pantry is seeing 25 percent more people than last year. In Plymouth, big agencies like Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army report increases in requests for help. And in Quincy, food pantry workers continue seeking donated turkeys through the last week before Thanksgiving in order to feed the city’s needy.  These are not anecdotes you’d expect from an economic boom.  Local food pantries are usually busy places during this time of year. But the fast-increasing cost of living in Massachusetts has been linked to an unusually demanding year for emergency food programs across the state.  Project Bread, the nonprofit agency that provides aid to local food programs, says that 74 percent of its client agencies reported being busier during the 12 months ending Sept. 30 than during the same periods last year.  Project Bread spokesman Jay Welz says the same robust economy that has provided opportunity for many is becoming increasingly burdensome on the working poor.  "Although many people are doing well and there are a lot of jobs out there with the skyrocketing rents and heating costs that are going through the roof, a lot of people who have full-time jobs don’t have enough money to make ends meet," Welz said.  Although many emergency food agencies do not question their clients, Welz said that anecdotal evidence suggests that an increasing number of food pantry clients are working, and some even have multiple jobs.  That mirrors the experience of Agnes Lynch, director of the Braintree Community Food Pantry. She expected a decline in the pantry’s caseload this year. That never happened, she said.  "It’s the working poor and people with disabilities that are coming to our food pantry. Some of our clientele, are lucky if they’re making $8 an hour in maintenance and retail," Lynch said. "Some of them work two to three jobs, and there are some who will never work because of injuries, homelessness or accidents."  Bettyanne Muir Lang, who directs the Pantry Shelf in Quincy for Interfaith Social Services, traces the new faces coming to her pantry to her city’s hot housing market.  "A one bedroom apartment in Quincy can cost $1,100 or $1,200 a month now," Lang said. "There are people who can’t keep a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs."  Lang says the Pantry Shelf is serving 225 households a month on average this year. She estimates that is a 40 percent jump from last year.  Donations are still arriving to help meet anticipated holiday demand.  Friday afternoon, Hingham Congregational Church brought more than 50 turkeys to the shelter to help prepare for Thanksgiving.  In Plymouth, the Salvation Army’s food pantry is estimating about a quarter of the approximately 70 households it serves every month have been newcomers this year.  "We have had a lot of first-timers, people who haven’t had to ask for help before," said Debbie Bryant, who runs the Army’s food pantry, which serves people from Plymouth, Kingston and Carver.  Bryant says the pantry is expecting to serve turkeys to 80 families on Thanksgiving and to help at least 100 families on Christmas.  "Thanksgiving we’re pretty much set on right now, but for Christmas the more help we get the better," she said.  Throughout the year, the department of transitional assistance has been working with Project Bread and other non-profits reach out to families that have recently left the welfare rolls.  A survey conducted by the department this year indicated that 41 percent of former food stamp recipients would probably still qualify for assistance if they had applied.  Project Bread’s director, Ellen Parker, believes that confusion about welfare reform could exacerbate the number of families needing emergency food handouts.  But whatever the cause, food pantries are increasingly thankful for the donations that do come rolling in from schools, churches, and families.  "We’re fortunate that this is a community that hears a need and responds to it," said Lynch, the director of the Braintree pantry.

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Salute to Volunteers

Food Pantries, report increase in needy