The Salem Pantry Teams Up With Area Farms To Support Food-Insecure Families On North Shore

SALEM, MA — A connection between The Salem Pantry retail and mobile free food distribution sites and seven Massachusetts farms and programs is helping food-insecure families on the North Shore have access to high-quality produce and other nutritional items this fall.

The Salem Pantry allows guests to shop for free items of need at its new The Market location on Leavitt Street in Salem along with its mobile pop-up sites.

"Everyone should have a right to access fresh, healthy produce," The Salem Pantry Executive Director Robyn Burns said. "We have made this a priority at The Salem Pantry, and we actively partner with our local farms to make this possible."

One of the seven partners making weekly deliveries is New Entry Sustainable Farming Project — a Beverly program focused on training new farmers.

"New Entry Food Hub partners with Salem Pantry to make locally grown, fresh produce more accessible," New Entry Program Manager Sara Poggi Davis said. "This partnership not only makes healthy, fresh food available to more people, it also supports local, small-scale farming businesses and new farmers."

The Salem Pantry also works with Mack Park Food Farm, Boston Area Gleaners, The Salem YMCA,
Beverly Farms Gardens, The Food Project, and Newhall Fields Community Farms. The food is distributed as early as the same day it is received.

In July, The Salem Pantry distributed more than 17,000 pounds of local produce both purchased and donated from the farms. The food reached over 2200 households in Salem and on the North Shore.

Mack Park Food Farm

Mack Park Food Farm is a community-based farm managed by the City of Salem. Volunteers maintain, harvest, and deliver the locally grown produce to the pantry every week during the growing season.

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project is an initiative of Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, which is focused on training new farmers to produce food that is accessible to all.

Boston Area Gleaners

Boston Area Gleaners is an organization focused on bridging food distribution gaps, reducing food waste, and supporting food-insecure families. The Gleaners support The Salem Pantry by harvesting and packing surplus food from their farm in Groton and various farms across Massachusetts.

Salem YMCA Green Space

The Salem YMCA operates a small farm in the Point Neighborhood of Salem, working with local youth and community members.

Beverly Farms Garden

Beverly Farms Garden is owned and operated by Beverly resident John Fallon. Fallon’s unique farm is located on a traffic island in Beverly and donates all its produce to The Salem Pantry and other local food pantries.

The Food Project

With a belief in accessible healthy food, The Food Project operates over 70 acres of farmland throughout Northeast Massachusetts. The food is distributed through SNAP/HIP accessible farmer’s markets, neighborhood stores, The Salem Pantry and other hunger relief organizations.

Newhall Fields Community Farms

Newhall Fields works to enhance food security by growing high-quality affordable food in Peabody, Massachusetts. The Salem Pantry works with Newhall Fields to ensure this food is accessible to those who need it on the North Shore.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations.

Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)