Massachusetts Food Banks >>
Boston Food Assistance
Food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries in Boston MA
| The Greater Boston Food Bank Boston, MA 02118-2700 617.427.5200 |
Details: The Greater Boston Food Bank's mission is to End Hunger Here. Our objective is to distribute enough food to provide at least one meal a day to those in need. The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. GBFB acquires food through food industry product donations, food drives and financial contributions that enable us to purchase additional high nutrient quality food. We also benefit from the generosity of over 18,000 volunteers annually who help to sort and distribute donated food products. |
| Rosie’s Place Boston, MA 02118 617.442.9322 |
Details: Rosie's Place was founded in 1974 as the first women’s shelter in the United States. Our mission is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that helps poor and homeless women maintain their dignity, seek opportunity and find security in their lives. Today, Rosie’s Place not only provides meals and shelter but also creates answers for 12,000 women a year through wide ranging support, housing and education services. Rosie’s Place relies solely on the generous support of individuals, foundations and corporations and does not accept any city, state or federal funding. Thanks to these donations, 86 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to services for poor and homeless women. Dining Room: Every day an average of 210 poor and homeless women and their children can count on having a healthy lunch and dinner in our bright and welcoming Dining Room. Another 60 women enjoy breakfast Monday through Friday. Unlike other places, we don’t require our guests to line up and wait to receive their meals. Our volunteers and dining room staff act as waiters and waitresses to serve them at the table, just as you would a guest in your own home. For many of our diners, it well may be the only respite in their day. WEEKDAY DINING ROOM HOURS (MON-FRI) - Open for Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m., Open for Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., LUNCH IS SERVED FROM 12:00 noon - 12:30 pm, Open for Dinner: 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., DINNER IS SERVED FROM 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. WEEKEND DINING ROOM HOURS (SAT-SUN) - Open for Brunch: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. BRUNCH IS SERVED FROM 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Open for Dinner: 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. DINNER IS SERVED FROM 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Rosie’s Place Groceries Food Pantry: An average of 1,900 women visit Rosie’s Place Groceries each month and leave with 20-40 pounds of healthy food for their families. While many pantries distribute pre-bagged groceries, our guests “shop†free of charge among shelves set up like a grocery store, choosing which items they would like from juices, grains, canned goods and more. And thanks to relationships we have developed with local farms, we can also offer women a wide selection of seasonal, nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables year round. ROSIE’S PLACE GROCERIES HOURS: Tuesday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (80 guests maximum); Monday - Friday 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (40 guests maximum) |
| American Red Cross - Boston Food Pantry Boston, MA 02118 617.274.5200 |
Details: Established in 1982, the Boston Food Pantry is now one of the largest food pantries in New England serving over 105,000 individuals during a year. The pantry is open for clients on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We provide Food Stamps screening and application assistance during pantry hours. |
| Rice Sticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry Boston, MA 02111 |
Details: Founded in 1998, Ricesticks and Tea (RST) is a food pantry program serving over 120 pre-screened low-income Asian immigrant and refugee families each month. Those 120 households represent over 300 children, adults and seniors. It is the only food pantry program in the region whose mission is to serve the Asian community and provide food that is consistent with their cultural cooking traditions and preferences. |
| Church of the Covenant - Food Cupboard Boston, MA 02116 617.266.7480 |
Details: The Weekend Emergency Food Pantry program offered by Church of the Covenant provides free groceries and other necessities to Boston residents in urgent need. This ministry was developed by the church in response to widespread need in the city, and the fact that many other food pantries are closed on the weekends. The hours of the food pantry are Saturday and Sunday mornings, from 10 am to noon. The building is located at the corner of Berkeley and Newbury Streets in Boston's Back Bay, and the food pantry entry is on the alley side of the building. People seeking assistance should bring photo identification. Visits are limited to once each calendar month. |
| Preventive Food Pantry at Boston Medical Center Boston, MA 02118 617.414.3834 |
Details: The Food Pantry works to address nutrition-related illness and under-nutrition for our low-income patients. It fills the therapeutic gap by linking physicians and nutritionists to patients. Individuals with special nutritional needs are referred to the Pantry by BMC primary care providers who write “prescriptions†for supplemental foods that best promote physical health, prevent future illness and facilitate recovery. The Pantry is often used by patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, food allergies and other chronic conditions. Families can visit the Food Pantry twice per month and receive three to four days worth of food for their household each time. A key feature is the provision of perishable goods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables in the winter, and meats all year round – items that are often costly and therefore often lacking in a low-income family’s diet. In 2011, the Preventive Food Pantry provided food to more than 80,500 patients and their household members (an average of 6,709 monthly). The Food Pantry is open daily, Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is managed by three staff members and many volunteers. The Pantry Manager is a registered Dietetic Technician, qualified to determine what foods correspond to a patient’s dietary needs, as prescribed by a BMC physician. The Assistant Pantry Manager is fluent in four languages and has been essential in helping the Pantry assist BMC’s many refugee and immigrant patients. Patients need to be screened and referred to the Food Pantry by their Primary Care Provider. |
| Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston - El Centro Food Pantry Boston, MA 02118 617.350.5026 |
Details: For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities has continued its mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people. Catholic Charities is tasked with serving those who wonder how they will be able to meet their most basic needs. We embrace each family with a plan to achieve self-sufficiency, giving back some of the choices that they lost along the way. Our Food Pantries are located in Dorchester, Boston's South End, Brockton, Lowell and Somerville. |
| First Church Jamaica Plain - Food Pantry Boston, MA 02130 617.524.1634 |
Details: The Food Pantry at First Church started in 2009 and serves more than 120 people per month. It is open the first and third Thursday of each month from 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon. A schedule is generally posted on the Eliot Street door of the Church. People of all ages, races, and circumstances come to the Food Pantry. Many have never asked for this kind of help before but now are in need because of job loss, fewer work hours, or medical costs. We do not ask for identification of documentation of any kind; if people come to the pantry, we give them food. We provide basic staples like pasta and canned goods, fresh produce when available, bakery bread, and a few personal items. |
| Grant A.M.E. Church - Self-Help Food Program Boston, MA 02118 617.427.0670 |
Details: Our goal is to serve the needy families in Grant Church, as well as in the surrounding communities by providing and distributing boxes of healthy food and groceries. We also partner with local food programs to accommodate requests. Boxes are distributed on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. However, in the case of an emergency, we make every effort to handle requests on an individual case basis. Volunteers are always welcomed to help distribute boxes and donations are accepted as the number of clients served is ever increasing and we desire to reach as many needy families as possible. |
| Union United Methodist Church Food Pantry Boston, MA 02118 617.536.0872 |
Details: Work Area on Adult Ministry ("WAAM") supports and coordinates Union's annual Walk for Hunger involvement and the monthly food pantry (2nd Tuesdays of the month). Its members also visit the sick and homebound members of Union. |
| Haley House Soup Kitchen/Food Pantry/Elder Meal Boston, MA 02116 617.236.8132 |
Details: Haley House Soup Kitchen - Made-from-scratch breakfast for men of all ages (homeless or food insecure). Monday – Friday: 5:30 – 9:00 am, Sunday: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. In our kitchen, home-cooked meals bring strangers together and foster friendship and meaningful community. Our meals are creatively composed of food donated by local organizations. Members of the Live-In Community coordinate daily menus with the help of volunteers from local colleges, neighbors, and Soup Kitchen guests. Since 1966, over 2 million meals have been served in our bustling kitchen, entirely through the generosity of volunteers. Haley House Food Pantry - Our food pantry is open weekly on Thursdays from 10:30-11:30 am, by registration. Those who wish to register need to present a valid photo ID with a permanent address and are eligible to come every other week. We accept registrations on a rolling basis as our supply permits, but do not take drop-ins. The Food Pantry addresses the hunger behind closed doors. Elders and families are welcome to enjoy the availability of fresh vegetables and other healthy fare that increases health, wellness and food security among those with limited incomes. Elder Meal - Lunch for men and women over 55. Tuesday & Thursday 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm, Sunday 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm. Elder Meal has become an intimate community of friends that have shared similar lives and stories of homelessness and loneliness in the inner city. While new guests are warmly welcomed, a core group comes to eat and visit. Meals are served at the table fostering conversation, sharing and creating a sense of family. |
| Women’s Lunch Place Boston, MA 02116 617.267.1722 |
Details: The Women’s Lunch Place is a safe, welcoming day community for all self-identified women who are experiencing homelessness or poverty. The Women’s Lunch Place strives to meet guests’ most basic and immediate needs while coordinating and delivering critical support services designed to help women achieve greater stability and self-sufficiency whenever possible. We are open Monday through Saturday from 7:00am until 2:00pm. Breakfast: A continental style breakfast is available from 8:00am – 10:00am. Lunch: Our signature lunch is served restaurant style at 12pm. |
| Friday Night Supper Program Boston, MA 02116 617.536.7050 |
Details: The Friday Night Supper Program (The FNSP) was co-founded in 1984 by Arlington Street Church, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, and Dignity Boston, a congregation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-gendered Catholics. Arlington Street Church donates space and utilities for the program and Dignity Boston continues to show their support by providing volunteers. The FNSP has been an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation since 1994. The FNSP benefits from strong, long-term relationships with other hunger-relief organizations, including The Greater Boston Food Bank and Project Bread. The FNSP is also supported by partnerships with First Church in Boston and Old South Church in Boston. The Friday Night Supper Program is a long-time member of the network of organizations that make up our community’s continuum of emergency food services for people who are homeless and on extremely low income. Our dedicated team of volunteers serve approximately 150 meals every Friday evening. As one of our long-time volunteers proudly stated to a new recruit, “nobody has to go hungry in Boston.†Each guest is served a nutritious three course meal consisting of soup, dinner and dessert at their table by our courteous volunteer servers. The consistency of service and thoughtful attention to detail, along with the overall nutritional value of our meals, served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, provides a sense of security, abundance and choice to members of the community who have limited access to these very basic essentials. Our Guest Clothing Closet provides clothing, shoes, toiletries and other essential items to our guests following meal service. Guest survey responses consistently report continued satisfaction with the quality of our meal and an appreciation for the sense of community our guests find at the FNSP. We also provide a meaningful and rewarding experience for hundreds of volunteers every year. Our meal is served out of the basement of the Arlington Street Church in Boston every Friday between the hours of 5:00pm-7:00pm. Guests can begin to line up in the public alley off Arlington Street at 4:30pm. |
| St. Francis House Meals Boston, MA 02116 617.542.4211 |
Details: Many guests come to St. Francis House initially because they need a hot, nourishing meal. We serve breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. daily, and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 365 days a year. Our menus feature lean protein, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, to give our guests the fuel they need and to assist them in developing healthy eating habits. Meals are free, no questions asked. We also provide emergency sandwiches after 2:45 p.m., for those who are hungry or want something to eat that night. We rely on our dedicated corps of volunteers to help us serve more than 300,000 meals a year. We are so grateful for their help. |
| St. Anthony Shrine - Franciscan Food Center Boston, MA 02110 617.542.6440 |
Details: The Franciscan Food Center (Food Center) was founded in October 2008 by Fr. David Convertino, OFM, and Fr. Paul Lostritto, OFM, working in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and the Greater Boston Food Bank. The mission of the Food Center is to feed people who are hungry by providing high-quality, nutritious food in a client-choice setting and create a community in an environment of dignity, compassion and respect. Members may visit the Food Center once each week. Year-round hours for the Franciscan Food Center are Thursday and Saturday, 10:00 am. to 1:00 p.m. |
| Resurrection Lutheran Church - Food Pantry Boston, MA 02119 617.427.2066 |
Details: Free Bag of Groceries to Needy Boston Residents 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 AM |
| Community Servings Boston, MA 02130 617.522.7777 |
Details: Community Servings is a not-for-profit food and nutrition program providing services throughout Massachusetts to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses. We give our clients, their dependent families, and caregivers appealing, nutritious meals, and send the message to those in greatest need that someone cares. Our goals are to help our clients maintain their health and dignity and preserve the integrity of their families through free, culturally appropriate, home-delivered meals, nutrition education, and other community programs. |
| The Salvation Army Boston South End Corps Boston, MA 02118 617.536.5260 |
Details: Emergency Food Pantry Assistance: Households are provided food bags of canned goods, frozen items and meat. Households are provided with enough items to last for 3-4 days. Assistance is limited to a one time basis every 3 months. There are some extreme emergency cases needing immediate assistance. Open Monday-Friday, 9:00-11:30am. |
| The Paulist Center Emergency Food Pantry Boston, MA 02108 617.948.2426 |
Details: Opened every non-holiday Tuesday and Thursday afternoon for those with an immediate, critical need for food. Donations of non-perishable items are always needed and can be left by the Mary Altar after the weekend liturgies. |
| Boston Rescue Mission In House Meal Program Boston, MA 02111 617.338.9000 |
Details: The Boston Rescue mission Serves around 150,000 Meals a year. Including three complete and nutritious meals a day to all of our resident clients and two complete and nutritious meals a day to our Safe and Healthy overnight shelter clients. At 3pm during the week and 5pm on Sundays the Boston Rescue Mission opens its doors to the community welcoming anyone who needs a hot meal to come to the Mission and eat. These meals are always hot, well-balanced, and nutritious. The community meals are especially important to the Mission because they provide comfort and security to the people who need it most. |
| ABCD North End/West End NSC Boston, MA 02113 617.523.8125 |
Details: Locations throughout ABCD’s network of neighborhood sites offer emergency food pantry services for low-income families. Please note that many food pantry sites require a referral through the Project Bread Food Source Referral Hotline. You can call the hotline for a referral Monday-Friday from 8am-7pm and Saturday from 10am-2pm at 1-800-645-8333. You will need to provide your name, address, phone number, household size, date of birth, and a unique identifier, such as last 4 digits of your SSN. This referral is good for the next day only, only one referral per address per month is allowed. Clients must call the Hotline each month to get a new referral. |