Braintree Community Food Pantry
Celebrating 32 years of making a difference in Braintree
History of the Braintree Community Food Pantry
In the early 1980s, our former and founding president, Agnes Lynch and her family experienced the devastation and insecurity of job loss. After exhausting all available resources, it was their faith and trust in God alone that got them through. From that experience, the idea of a food pantry in Braintree was born.
Through miracles and answered prayers, a faith-based Community Food Pantry for Braintree residents became a reality in April 1993. We are currently celebrating over 32 years of making a difference in Braintree.
What we do
We provide Braintree Residents in need with gift cards to local supermarkets on a monthly basis.
Whom we serve: Braintree Residents Only
* Roughly 50% of our clients are disabled
* The age of our clients is diverse
~47% children
~48% adults
~5% senior adults
* Approximately 78% of our clients have 2 or more family members and 22% are single adults
* Many of our clients have lost their homes or apartments due
to economic instability
How we keep our costs low
All individuals involved in our food pantry from the Board of Directors to those who distribute gift cards are volunteers, meaning no one receives a paycheck from the Food Pantry. Additionally, Grace Church of Braintree provides a space two Saturdays a month for meeting with our clients at no charge.
Why we do this
The Food Pantry is a faith-based ministry governed by a Board of Directors who are motivated by their faith in God to serve the needy. We seek to fulfill the command of Jesus found in John 21:17 "Feed my sheep."
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where do most of your donations come from?
Most of our donations come from grants that we actively apply for, as these typically provide the largest financial support. In addition, we receive contributions from local companies whose employees participate in payroll giving programs, resulting in monthly donations. We are also grateful for individual donors, including but not limited to our former clients and residents of Braintree, who support our mission.
2. How many families do you assist each day?
At present, we support about 80 families. However, our food pantry is not open daily; instead, we operate once a month. During our monthly opening, we provide each family with grocery store gift cards to help them meet their food needs throughout the month.
3. Why do you choose to volunteer at the food pantry?
Everyone at our food pantry is a volunteer; no one receives a salary for their work. We all give our time because we feel a strong sense of purpose and commitment to helping others. As Christians, we are inspired by my faith and the desire to "feed His sheep," as the Bible says in John 21:17. Seeing families in our own community struggle motivates us to do what we can, and we truly wish we could help even more people.
4. How do you manage your time at the food pantry?
Since the Braintree Community Food Pantry is only open once a month and serves a relatively small group of clients, our time management is more straightforward than at busier pantries. We have a full month to prepare for each opening, which makes organizing much easier. However, as we work to increase donations and hope to expand our services, efficient time management will become even more important. Our dedicated Board of Directors—many of whom volunteer on pantry days—along with our Clerk, who handles much of the preparation, outreach, and coordination, all play vital roles in ensuring our operations run smoothly.
Why we do this