The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, awarded their Community Investment Grant to the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s (SHC) Project SOUP to support its ability to empower food insecure neighbors in the area, bolstering GBFB’s network of food distribution agencies and advancing hunger-relief efforts across Eastern Massachusetts in response to the continuing hunger crisis in the state.

The annual grant program, originally founded in 2013, has now been investing in GBFB partner agencies for over a decade. This investment aims to bolster and sustain our food pantry’s volunteering initiatives so we can provide critical support to our clients experiencing hunger and homelessness in the Somerville community.

As a GBFB partner, Somerville Homeless Coalition has provided healthy food options and case management support at our food pantry for nearly 40 years. As an agency of only 34 employees, we heavily rely on the support of our 250 volunteers to help sustain our programs as the demand for services continues to grow. This grant provides crucial funding for our Volunteer Coordinator position whose job is to oversee and strategies all of our volunteering efforts. This position is vital to ensure that we have the necessary support and resources needed across our offered food pantry programs.

“The Greater Boston Food Bank is among the most valued partners for Project SOUP. Without their flexibility, dedication, and consistency; Project SOUP would not be able to serve the most food insecure residents of Somerville” – Chris Ritter, Food Pantry Manager This grant coincides with GBFB’s fourth annual report on food insecurity, equity and access in Massachusetts. The 2024 study, “Opportunities to Improve Food Equity & Access in Massachusetts,” reveals consistently high rates of food insecurity in the state and sustained disparities in food access for communities of color and households with children.

“GBFB’s network of dedicated agency partners continue to inspire us to be innovative in our efforts to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. “With sustained inequities in food access across our region, we aim to continue to invest in those communities facing a heightened need for food and drive progress towards hunger relief through strategic grantmaking to our network of agency partners. As the cost of living in our region continues to rise, we look forward to seeing how these funds bolster SHC’s ability to provide nutritious food options to our neighbors in Somerville.”

About Somerville Homeless Coalition:

The mission of Somerville Homeless Coalition is to provide homeless and near-homeless individuals and families with individualized supportive services and tailored housing solutions to obtain and maintain affordable housing. In short, our mission is in “finding everyone a home.”

We advance this mission each day through our emergency response initiatives that include Street Outreach to the unsheltered, a 16-bed Adult Homeless Shelter, and a Food Assistance Program – Project SOUP. Other programming focuses on the prevention of hunger and homelessness through a combination of services, such as comprehensive housing search and case management; homeless prevention assistance; and, the provision of affordable housing that is paired with regular wrap-around home-based support promoting the stability of clients for tenancy preservation. To connect with SHC follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also visit our website at www.shcinc.org

About The Greater Boston Food Bank:

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. As the food bank for Eastern Massachusetts, GBFB is feeding people in 190 towns across the region, distributing the equivalent of nearly 90 million meals through a network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs. A member of the national Feeding America network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here. The organization remains committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617-427-5200