The Food Bank Of Western Massachusetts Inc

Programs: Food operations, delivery, and brown bag: the food bank received approximately 10. 9 million pounds of food and distributed approximately 10. 6 million pounds, which is the equivalent of 8. 9 million meals, to approximately 200 frontline food providers, including pantries, meal sites, shelters and other social service programs that are members of the food bank. Ultimately this emergency food network distributed food to more than 223,000 residents who experienced hunger or who were at risk of hunger in the four counties of western ma at some point (or chronically) over the course of the year. Of the total food distributed, the food bank used its own trucks to distribute approximately 5. 6 million pounds of food (equivalent to 4. 6 million meals) to 1) 98 frontline food providers, 2) 20 mobile food bank sites serving 26,463 individuals; 34% children and 14% seniors, and 3) 48 brown bag & food for elder sites and 47 satellites - the food bank's "pantry on wheels" program serving 7,250 elders.

support for local food providers: the food bank offered technical support, professional workshops on fundraising, volunteer management, and trainings in food safety to member food providers. It also provided capacity-building activities for member agencies with the goal of helping member agencies increase efficiency and the amount of food distributed to those in need. To carry out this program the following services/trainings were provided:(1) institute trainings for agencies in areas such as fundraising, volunteer management, advocacy, disaster planning, and best practices. (2) network coalition meetings that strengthened the emergency food network in western massachusetts by periodically bringing together local feeding programs to receive updates from both the food bank and feeding america, and allowing these organizations to network with each other, as well as to learn about best practices. (3) snap outreach and enrollment program educated community members about snap (formerly food stamps) and assisted potentially eligible clients through the application process. In fy 17 the food bank submitted for approval 1,056 applications to the massachusetts department of transitional assistance with a 76% approval rate. (4) provided small capacity building grants to assist local feeding programs provide more food to the people they serve.

nutrition education program: provided workshops and materials to both clients and staff of local feeding programs to assist people to eat healthier on a limited budget. This program included supermarket tours for people to learn how to shop on a budget, read nutrition labels, and understand unit pricing.

the food bank staff and volunteers screen individuals for eligibility and assist them with the snap application process, including case management.