St. James’s Episcopal Church, Cambridge
Helping Hand Food Pantry Study
March 2012
Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2
History of the Helping Hand ministry and the Pantry................................................................................... 2
The Women’s Meal Ministry ......................................................................................................................... 2
Pantry Leadership ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Our Relationship with the Fresh Pond Apartments ...................................................................................... 3
Food and Funding; ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Our Clients .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Client Records ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Our Relationship with our Clients ............................................................................................................. 5
The Parish and the Pantry; Interviews with Parishioners ............................................................................. 7
Other Local Pantries; locations, services, & client bases .............................................................................. 8
Surveying the Local Church-Based Pantry Landscape .................................................................................. 8
Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 8
List of Local Churches and their Food Ministry Involvement ................................................................... 9
Appendix A: Local Church-Based Food Pantries ......................................................................................... 11
Appendix B: Local Food Panties and their Services .................................................................................... 12
Cambridge ............................................................................................................................................... 12
Somerville ............................................................................................................................................... 13
Watertown .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Appendix C: Legal Agreement with Fresh Pond Apartments...................................................................... 16
Appendix D: Cultural Scene Ethnography, Michael Morse 2009 ................................................................ 22
Appendix E: Data from Client Survey, March 26, 2012............................................................................... 28
Introduction
This study was commissioned by the Vestry of St. James’s in June 2011. The Rev. Holly Lyman Antolini
asked Micah Fellow Reed Loy to lead the study and Reed brought together a Food Pantry Study Team of
five parishioners, which expanded to seven as new needs arose. The goal of this study is to provide a
foundation of knowledge that will help the Pantry Board, the Vestry, and the congregation make
informed decisions as they discern the next stage of the life of our Pantry. This is challenging both
practically, in terms of collecting data for decision-making, and emotionally, spiritually, and even
physically, in terms of gauging parishioner and pantry client sentiment, desire, and need. A key question
to be answered is whether to keep the Pantry in its new location at the Fresh Pond Apartments or to
return it to the soon-to-be-built parish hall. The Study Team is hopeful and confident that the
information contained herein will be useful in making that decision, and also for refining the day-to-day
ministry of the Pantry, to the benefit of all.
History of the Helping Hand ministry and the Pantry
The Helping Hand Ministry was begun over 30 years ago. It originally handed out vouchers for food and
other goods to people in need. In time, the food ministry took center stage and a dedicated pantry
space was opened in 1984 in the basement of the parish hall. The Women’s Meal also grew out of the
Helping Hand Ministry. In 2010, St. James’s closed the parish hall as part of its Redevelopment Project,
and the Pantry moved to the ground floor of the Fresh Pond Apartments on Rindge Avenue in
Cambridge, where they were granted a temporary variance for operation (in an area not zoned for food
distribution). Now, in early 2012, the Vestry of St. James’s and leaders of the Pantry and parish are
working to determine the best next steps.
The Women’s Meal Ministry
While the Study Team has been told that the Food Pantry Director technically has oversight of the
Women’s Meal, it is in practice an autonomous ministry at this point. Clarifying the nature of this
relationship is an area for ongoing study.
Every Thursday, from 5-7, the Women’s Meal provides a wholesome meal and good company to 10-15
women and children. Usually offered in the space of St. James’s, the meal is currently served at Hope
Fellowship during Redevelopment. The Meal serves women who come are all low-income, often with
mental health problems. Volunteer cooks from St. James's and the community provide the food, and are
also welcomed to sit and chat with the women.
Pantry Leadership
St. James’s Episcopal Church Rector: The Rev. Holly Lyman Antolini, rector@stjames-cambridge.org,
office phone: 617-547-4070
Holly is responsible for hiring the Director and for ongoing oversight.
Food Pantry Director: The Rev. Karen Coleman, KrnClmn@aol.com, Pantry phone: 617-876-4381,
personal cell phone: 617-899-6682
Karen manages food deliveries, volunteers, client information, and community relationships. She is
present when the pantry is open and manages client intake information.
Food Pantry Board: John Hixson, Janet Hobbs, Mardi Moran, Mike Morse, Anne Shumway, Tom Tufts,
Sylvia Weston
The Board holds monthly meetings to oversee the work of the pantry and is responsible for keeping the
finances of the Pantry. Many also volunteer at the Pantry. Karen consults with them in her decisionmaking.
Volunteers
There are roughly 12 volunteers total. Each is active 1-2 times/week on average. Two of them are
former clients of the Pantry, three come from St. James’s Somerville, where Karen is Priest-in-Charge,
and some are members of the board. The total number of annual volunteers in 2011 was 27. Karen
characterizes the volunteer atmosphere as ‘comfortable and spiritual’. During her brief tenure, she and
the Board have worked proactively to cultivate an atmosphere that is community-focused. This has been
successful in shifting away from a previous culture of volunteers looking out for their own food needs
ahead of clientele needs.
Our Relationship with the Fresh Pond Apartments
The Pantry is currently housed in the Fresh Pond Apartments on Ridge Avenue in Cambridge. It is
located in a ground floor room near the entrance to the easternmost tower of the Apartments. The
move from the parish hall to Fresh Pond Apartments was necessitated by the Redevelopment Plan, and
was allowed by a temporary variance, because the zoning does not allow for a pantry in that
neighborhood. Fresh Pond donates space and the electricity to run the freezer and refrigerators, and in
return receives the benefit of an on-site pantry.
Karen works closely with Scott Cole, Resident Services Coordinator at Fresh Pond Apartments. The
Apartments are quite happy to host the Pantry because it serves a number of their residents. (In fact,
Karen commented that “you can see when the pantry moved to Fresh Pond” just by looking at the
attendance statistics, although those statistics are not currently available. See ‘Our Clients’ for a
discussion of client records.) At the same time, many other residents at Fresh Pond seem to feel there is
a stigma attached to the pantry’s clients; Karen is at the beginning of a process to try to identify why this
is. Karen and Scott are in preliminary discussion about hosting discussions and demonstrations about
food at the pantry to try to address this stigma and serve the Fresh Pond community in a more
comprehensive way. They are also in discussion about the possibility of the Fresh Pond providing
funding for increased food purchase.
For continuing study: As we look to the next stage of the pantry’s life, it is important to know whether
there is in fact any chance of a permanent variance being granted for the Pantry in its Fresh Pond
location. Scott Cole would like to see our partnership continue, but without the granting of such a
variance within the next 18-24 months, we would have no choice but to leave anyway.
Food and Funding; where it comes from & where it goes
The Pantry receives donations of food from Food for Free (which picks up and delivers donated food
from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods), and from congregational and private donations. They also
purchase food through the Greater Boston Food Bank (97,100 lbs. in 2011, at a total cost of $4,873). The
food from the Food Bank is used to supplement donations, both in terms of quantity and nutritional
spectrum. Pantry Director Karen Coleman is currently researching additional options through other
grocery stores and annual events such as the MLK Day celebration.
Funding for the Pantry comes from St. James’s, an annual Project Bread Grant, the Greater Boston Food
Bank, the Feinstein Challenge (through an appeal letter and matching funds), and private donations. The
total annual budget is around $25,000.
For additional study: Actual figures for the budget may be found in the Treasurer’s spreadsheet and the
Annual Project Bread Grant Application. The numbers in each differ. The Study Team recommends
ongoing work to clarify the exact amounts and sources of funding. This is especially important given that
the Pantry ran an approximately $6000 deficit in 2011. Additional study will help to clarify the reasons
for this and identify possible solutions.
In 2011 the Pantry served 22,542 clients (see Project Bread Grant). Food is distributed three times each
week; Tuesday 4-6 PM, Thursday 11 AM-1 PM, Saturday 10 AM-12 noon. One of these times is
exclusively for Fresh Pond Apartment Residents. Clients may receive food once per month with
Massachusetts ID. Tuesdays are open only to residents of Cambridge, Somerville, and Arlington. This
policy was recently put in place due to a shortage of food compared to demand and a desire to dedicate
a portion of the food to the nearby community. The current budget allows the pantry to feed a
maximum of about 32 people on any given day, with average numbers between 25-30 people. Before
each distribution period, the volunteers determine how many people they can serve. As clients arrive
they are given a number, and if more than can be served arrive then they are turned away. Karen
estimates that the number of people arriving each session in the hope of food is about 40, with between
8 and 15 being turned away. The food pantry serves between 200 and 300 households each month.
The support from St. James’s funds the Pantry Director’s salary, as well as the purchase of food and the
operating budget. Other funds are used primarily for food. The budget allows roughly $120/week for the
purchase of food. Karen estimates that a budget of $200/week would be necessary to meet the need of
all who currently attempt to access the pantry.
Our Clients
Client Records
All client records were kept in paper files until November of 2011. Also, recordkeeping was often seen as
a check on whether clients were eligible, rather than a means of tracking pantry use. Practically
speaking, this means that gleaning helpful data from the records will require a significant input of
dedicated time. Since November of 2011, Karen has been keeping records in an Excel spreadsheet on
her personal computer.
Suggestions for upgrading and compiling our records include purchasing or procuring a dedicated Pantry
computer, digitizing paper records, and utilization of database software. Though the Pantry currently
owns a laptop, Karen says that it is unusable. Karen estimates digitizing the paper records would take
30-40 hours of work. She recommends streamlining the data importation by using a cutoff of between
3-5 years and importing only the data collected after the set date. She has also done preliminary
research into web-based database software and says that the cheapest useful options cost about
$100/month.
Our Relationship with our Clients
This section would ideally contain statistics on clientele numbers, age, ethnicity, home location,
family size, and more. Because of the disorganized state of our records, this data is currently
unavailable. The Study Team recommends gaining a more detailed picture of our client base to
better serve them. (Example: Through her relationship with management at Fresh Pond, Karen
learned of the need for Halal meat among the Islamic residents. She was then able to adjust the
Pantry’s purchases and serve an expanded population.)
Who are our clientele?
The Food Pantry’s clientele seem to be a fairly mixed crowd, aside from (obviously) being in a
position where they need additional food support. The three subpopulations that came to
mind most quickly for Pantry Director Karen Coleman were senior citizens and people of
Russian and Haitian origin; but there’s also a mix of folks of other races and in the 18-65 age
range. We don’t have concrete records on immigration status per se; all clients are required to
present a Massachusetts-issued photo ID (to mitigate potential fraud) but the pantry doesn’t
really collect information above and beyond what’s printed on that card. Most clients are on
Food Stamps, and may or may not receive other support beyond that and our Helping Hand
Food Pantry.
Many clients seem to use public transit and/or carpool to the pantry location at Fresh Pond
Apartments. Some others live within the apartment complex itself. The pantry’s Tuesday
evening hours are limited to residents of Cambridge, Somerville, and Arlington; noontime hours
on Thursday and Saturday are open to all in the greater Boston area.
What do clients get at our pantry? How do our clientele feel about the pantry?
On each visit, each client receives a pre-allocated bag each of canned goods, non-perishable dry
goods, meat, and vegetables. Some weeks, clients may also receive a half-dozen eggs. Aside
from the vegetables (where the selection depends on what’s readily available) and eggs, the
quantities and contents of these bags are relatively stable from one day to the next. Clients are
generally grateful for the food and are mostly satisfied with the selection; many would
appreciate if the pantry could provide more of some higher-priced protein sources like peanut
butter and eggs, but that would require a larger budget and folks are happy to receive what the
pantry can provide.
Aside from the food, it seems that the pantry provides a sort of “safe space” that is appreciated
by its clients. The clients share community while waiting in line, and for some this is an integral
part of the experience. See Michael Morse’s 2009 ethnographic report in Appendix D for more
details.
Preliminary Client Survey
See Appendix E for data.
I surveyed 22 out of the 24 people who received food from the pantry on Tuesday, March 6.
The pantry only serves clients from Cambridge, Somerville, and Arlington on Tuesdays; I didn’t
meet anyone from Arlington and most clients were from Cambridge, seemingly from the
neighborhood(s) immediately surrounding the pantry. I received translation assistance from
the building’s security guard while talking with a few clients who did not speak English well; he
was also managing the flow of traffic into the pantry, distributing numbers to each client on
arrival and calling forward about three clients at a time to enter the pantry. I was surveying
people shortly before they entered the pantry, in the same order as the queue. Clients were
generally very grateful for the pantry’s assistance and expressed positive opinions about its
work.
Most clients seemed to be aware that the pantry was previously located at St James’s, but most
of these folks still preferred the Fresh Pond location. When clients gave a reason for their
preference (which was about half the time), it was almost always that the preferred location
was closer to their residence.
NB: The #83 bus route runs past both Fresh Pond and St. James’s Church, connecting the two.
This is one of the few cross town busses, which makes it convenient, but passengers are
sometimes obliged to wait upwards of 30 minutes to catch it.
It was not clear whether clients were answering the question about how long they’ve been
coming to this pantry in terms of how long they’ve been coming to Helping Hand, or specifically
to the Fresh Pond location. There may have been different interpretations of this. It was also
clear that a lot of people were giving rough estimates. Regardless, most all the clients served
on that day had been coming for at least 6 months. When we were finished, I asked the
security guard if this was a typical crowd, and he said yes – then added a caveat that a few
more people were turned away than usual, since the pantry only had food to serve 24 clients
that day (whereas he said that the pantry might often serve 30-40 on a given day). I didn’t get
to survey any of the people who were turned away, since I didn’t realize that was happening
until it was too late to do much about it. That day, the pantry ran out of food around 5:00,
halfway through the posted 2 hours – although I think the first people in the queue may have
been served a few minutes before the posted starting time at 4:00.
Volunteers
I met three volunteers at the pantry. The two I met on a Saturday were former clients,
motivated by a desire to do “something productive with [themselves]”. One also made a point
of explaining how the pantry felt like a “safe space” when she had come as a client, and that
this sense also carried over into her volunteer work.
I met the third on Tuesday as he was dropping off some donated food. He framed his
motivation more in terms of serving our clients, and had learned of the pantry’s work “from a
friend of a friend”.
Another volunteer commented on the switch from guiding clients through shelves, where they
chose what they wanted, to pre-bagging and handing out a determined set of groceries. The
protocol was changed to streamline the process and fit the new space at Fresh Pond. This
volunteer felt that the quality of interpersonal interaction with clients had gone down as a
result.
The Parish and the Pantry; Interviews with Parishioners
Interviews were conducted with a broad cross-section of the community of St. James’ members. The
purpose was to assess the community’s relationship to the Pantry. Their comments have been
summarized below. They are categorized into general themes as follows: (1) Ministry to the Needy, (2)
Engage Community, and (3) Visibility.
Ministry to the Needy
Many believe that the purpose of Food Pantry fulfills the ministry to help people in need. St. James’s has
served the poor in many ways. However, the Food Pantry seems to remain the most direct and basic
service to the needy that can be imagined. St. James’s would have little opportunity to notice the poor
among us, were it not for hosting the Food Pantry, which began many years ago within our property,
and we would prefer the Food Pantry be allowed to operate with more autonomy that it has now.
Engage Community
We would like to have the Pantry back on St. James premises. The Women’s Meal is connected. Thanks
for asking for input, as it makes me feel like I belong. Many participate by contributing money… Its
present location is too far to continue to donate time. Some offer to Volunteer, however because of
current schedule have not yet done so… Will do in the future. There are many who have not visited at
the current location; for some it is difficult to get to it. They know that more space was needed at the
previous location… If Pantry has its own space for storage etc. on St .James’ premises, it can do more ..
Others give tithe and indicate so much for the Food Pantry. And others give to the Feinstein challenge.
Many members participate by bringing food. Many are pleased to pledge to give money and to share
the property. Many are unable to give time due to the nature of work and schedules
Visibility
Some members are not aware of the St. James’s Food Pantry except the times when announcements are
made regarding it. When asked, many say - I Don’t know of the Pantry. If it were here I would
volunteer. Or, because the Pantry is not visible here, we feel detached from it. We believe it’s a vital
ministry of St. James and it needs to be connected with the St. James community. If it were here more
young people of the group would be encouraged to volunteer. Will also bring this ministry to their
attention, as they feel detached from it.
There are those who -while they still live in the area, and have volunteered in previous times, no longer
visit St. James’s. Members appreciated having the write- up /and also announcements of the weekly
needs – like tuna, rice etc. which is no longer done. They expressed that it would help to know what
they was needed. St. James’s must be considered accessible because we are well served by transit, and
because Porter is a market place. While Porter may – or may not be closer to the needy – (don’t know),
I support the need for food is present here, as much as in the present location.
Interactions have also been with new parishioners who have not yet contributed – nor volunteered at
the Food Pantry. Members of the community want to have the Children volunteer some of their time to
help at the Food Pantry. The general consensus is a belief that with good organization and its devoted
space, that the existence of the Food Pantry at St. James’s helps its members , not only to carry out the
ministry to feed the hungry but also help those in need.
Overall, it is clear that whether the Pantry remains at Fresh Pond or returns to St. James’s, it is
important for the parishioner-Pantry connection to be intentionally strengthened from its present state.
Other Local Pantries; locations, services, & client bases
See Appendix B for listing and details.
It has long been the practice of the Helping Hand Food Pantry to assist its clients by providing
information about additional food resources. This listing of other local pantries will be useful in
continuing that work and also in understanding our own place in the matrix of local food aid services.
Though not yet created, the Study Team recommends that this data be overlayed on a map for visual
presentation. Along with the data on residency requirements and client bases (age, ethnicity, etc.) the
data on pantries will allow us to understand our niche and anticipate underserved populations.
Surveying the Local Church-Based Pantry Landscape
As with the local pantries, understanding local church-based food support will allow us to shape our
ministry wisely, fitting the need and building partnerships where that is practical.
Summary
Local churches are dedicated to providing food assistance.
Churches in the St. James’s vicinity are clearly dedicated to providing food to those in need, either
through pantries or meal programs. Seven Cambridge churches were identified as running pantries (not
including the Vineyard Church’s Storehouse program which is dedicated to their own church members).
In Somerville, Catholic Charities runs a pantry. In Arlington, the town runs a pantry for Arlington
residents only (officially—unofficially they sometimes serve those who live close to their border, such as
elders living in the Clarendon apartments in Somerville.) Although run by the town, the pantry is located
at Church of Our Savior, and many Arlington churches direct their food contributions there. A listing of
local church-based food pantries including location, phone, hours, and guidelines can be found in
Appendix A.
Eleven local congregations were contacted and asked the following questions:
1.
Are you aware of the St. James’s Food Pantry?
2.
Do you provide any kind of food program used by the community? If so, what?
3.
Are you aware that any of your own parishioners use a community food program, like a pantry
or meal program? If so, which programs?
4.
Do you believe that your congregation or some of its parishioners individually would be
interested in volunteering with the SJ-Cambridge food pantry in some capacity (e.g. providing food,
helping at the pantry, etc.)?
Detailed responses were received from eight congregations. In most cases the respondents were the
pastor, the church administrator, or the outreach coordinator. Congregations were contacted a
minimum of three times. If there was no response, as much information as possible was gleaned from
their website. Summarized responses to these questions can be found in Appendix A, along with
information on the church location, phone number, and person responding to the questions.
Most local congregations are aware of the Helping Hand Pantry.
Six of the eight responding churches were aware of Helping Hand. Those unaware were St. John the
Evangelist Catholic Church (Parish Administrator responding) and First Parish Unitarian in Harvard
Square (Pastor responding.)
Most respondents were not aware of the food assistance usage of their parishioners.
Although some respondents were aware that some parishioners used their own food programs, few
were aware of usage beyond the congregation. Because these responses were so sketchy, they are not
included in this report.
All congregations are involved in providing food in some way, with some running/assisting pantries;
interest in supporting Helping Hand is generally positive, though capacity varies
List of Local Churches and their Food Ministry Involvement
All Congregations Are Involved in Providing Food in Some Way, With Some Running/Assisting
Pantries; Interest in Supporting Helping Hand is Generally Positive, Though Capacity Varies
St. Peter’s Episcopal—Central Square: Run the “CommonCare” ministry which takes place on the second
and fourth Saturdays of the month and includes a food pantry at 5:00, and a community dinner at 6:00.
The pantry and dinner typically serve about 70 people each. Thanksgiving dinner served around 100
people this year.
Is supportive of Helping Hand in principle, but congregation is too busy with own food programs to
assist.
St. James’s Episcopal—Somerville: Currently collects food for Helping Hand and provides 4 volunteers
per month. Rector Karen Coleman is Helping Hand Director.
Greater Boston Vineyard—Cambridge: Runs “Storehouse” program for own church members only. Also
has some minimal connection with Harvest Food Pantry at Cambridgeport Baptist Church.
They are very active in providing other ministries as Fresh Pond Apts. Director of Community Offerings,
Danny Tao, responds: "I'm not sure how much interest there currently is for volunteering at a food
pantry. When we were actively recruiting for the Harvest, some years there would be lots of interest
and other years there would be no interest. It varies year to year given who's in our church. As a
church, we are really focusing on the North Cambridge community and Fresh Pond Apartments. Since
your pantry is located at the Fresh Pond Apartment, I'd be happy to direct people who are interested in
working at a food pantry your way."
Hope Fellowship--Cambridge: Currently runs three food ministries: Starlight (food is cooked on Tuesday
nights and served in Harvard Square on Wednesday), Hope Cafe (monthly lunch at Hope), and Drop-in
Fellowship (meal on Sunday nights). Also hosts St. James's Women’s Meal on Thursdays.
Community Development Director, Alex Grant, responds concerning further collaboration: "To be
honest, I'm not sure. However we may be open to hold can-drives if that helps."
St. John the Evangelist Parish—Cambridge: Collect items that they donate to Catholic Charities.
Admin. Asst. Laura Hansen responds: "Yes, some of our members may be interested, particularly the
Young Adult Group. Please send us more information regarding involving volunteers as you are able."
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church—Cambridge: On Wednesday nights MIT students come in and cook
a free neighborhood meal using donations from Food for Free and some small cash donations from the
parish. They have also been collecting food donations for the women's shelter down the street.
Rector Leslie Sterling responds: "I like the idea of asking our parishioners if any of them would like to
offer their time to Helping Hand Food Pantry. Those who live near Porter Square might be more likely to
help. I will mention this at the annual meeting and see if anyone responds, and if you want to prepare a
bulletin insert we can do a wider "ask".
First Parish Church Unitarian—Cambridge: Has a Tue. Meals Program
Concerning possible congregation collaboration, Pastor Fred Small responds: "Hard to say. Should we
ask them?"
First Church Congregational—Cambridge: Supports HH Food Pantry by bringing goods over on a
monthly basis for several years now. Pastor Dan Smith responds: "We support the Outdoor Church by
making sandwiches on Saturdays and First Sundays. We have a 17 bed homeless shelter that feeds
clients breakfast and dinner 365 days/year. We also send volunteers to the Thursday Night Harvard
Square Meals program. Your program is the only pantry we support."
Already supports HH by bringing goods over monthly. "Yes! We'd be glad to spread the word about the
opportunities to help at the pantry when/if the need should arise. "
Note: Person who delivers food to Helping Hand, Ann Curby responds: “My connection with the
Helping Hand Food Pantry is very low-tech. I take the First Church donation to the Rindge Avenue
address on one of its open hours during the week after the first Sunday of the month. I give it to the
person greeting customers and say it is from First Church in Cambridge. That's it. I think other members
of our Missions Committee have talked to the Pantry Director but once I found out the pantry's new
location and hours I've had no contact with St. James. We're glad the pantry exists and are happy to
contribute even in a small way.”
University Lutheran Church—Cambridge: No response to emails. However, they host the Harvard
student-sponsored shelter, also donating food and cooking either onsite or in homes.
Harvard Epworth Methodist—Cambridge & Christ Church Episcopal—Cambr.: Received no response
from either of these churches, but both provide sandwiches to Outdoor Church and participate in
Harvard Sq. Meals Program.
Appendix A: Local Church-Based Food Pantries
Cambridgeport Baptist Church
Food Pantry/Clothes Closet
459 Putnam Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-576-6779
1st & 3rd Saturday of every month
10:00 a.m. - noon
St. Peter’s Episcopal
838 Mass Ave. at Sellers Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
www.saintpeterscambridge.org
617.547.7788
CommonCare ministry which takes place on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month includes a
food pantry at 5:00, and a community dinner at 6:00.
Project Manna
Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church
146 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-868-4853
3rd Saturday of the month 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Once per month
ST. PAUL R.C. CHURCH -DOLLAR-A-BAG
29 Mt. Auburn St. (617) 491-8400
The Food Pantry operates in collaboration with Fair Food, a grassroots organization from Dorchester
that provides fresh produce and bread to sites throughout the Greater Boston area through their "Dollar
a Bag" program. The pantry is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. only in St. Paul's lower church.
The produce and bread provided by Fair Food are supplemented with nonperishable items provided
through the generosity of our parishioners. Contributions are collected in the vestibule of the church
prior to each of the weekend liturgies.
SALVATION ARMY
402 Mass. Ave. (617) 547-3400
For Cambridge and Somerville residents in need of emergency assistance. Call for an appointment; bring
photo I.D.
WESTERN AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
299 Western Ave. (617) 661-0433
2nd Wednesday of each month 10:30 a.m. until food runs out
Available monthly
St. Paul A.M.E. Food Pantry
85 Bishop Allen Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-661-1110
accessible
Wednesday noon. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – noon
Available weekly
Catholic Charities-Somerville
Somerville community service center offers assistance with food through a pantry.
270 Washington Street,
Somerville, MA 02143
617-625-1920
Monday-Thursday 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Arlington Food Pantry
NOTE: this is a town run pantry but located at Church of our Savior at 21 Marathon Street in Arlington
Looks like a lot of Arlington churches donate there.
The Arlington Food Pantry is open for food distribution the second Tuesday of each month and the last
Saturday of each month from 9:30 am – 11:30 am.
Need to call 781-316-3166 to get pre-screened. That proof of Arlington residency is required the day of
food pick up.
Appendix B: Local Food Panties and their Services
Cambridge
Salvation Army: 8:30-4 p.m. Adults & Families: BFP, donations from fundraisers outside of SA; they buy
frozen meat from the GBFP, chicken, beef, pork assorted or separate in banana boxes. (I thought that
was interesting since I didn't know you could get meat).
Zinberg Clinic Pantry: (combined Clinic and Food Pantry) Open M-F, 9-5 pm; GBFB for Cambridge &
Somerville patients with HIV/AIDS.
Western Avenue Baptist Church: 2nd Wednesday of each month; 10:30 am until food runs out; runs
along the same time as the Hot Meal Program, preparing 3 pm to 6 pm. Volunteers do the preparing for
the dinners. Food is delivered by truck from the BFP.
Cambridge Senior Center: gives out food only once a week to Cambridge residence.
St. Peter's Episc. Church: coincides with meal program 2nd and 4th Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
Services 50-70 people on an average.
Team Member Notes: The Food Pantries on the list really show a great dedication to those in need. The
volunteers, managers, arrive almost two hours before getting the places ready from the stacking of
food, orders, cleaning up, etc. It is amazing!
Older adults seem to be at these various food pantries, but can only get food once a week, in some
cases once a month. They are logged into the system. Nutritious fruit and veggies are also requested
along with pastas, soups, and canned goods of all non-perishable kinds.
Somerville
Catholic Charities pantry: Phanh
Hours: 8:30-4:30 Mon-Fri
Often: 1 x month, but clientele can call because sometime there is extra bread/etc and they can get
more
Who: No residency requirement. Mostly Somerville and Cambridge residents, recently some Waltham
and Watertown.
Demographics: Diverse with large black clientele. A lot of single adults.
Foods: canned food from food bank; bread, eggs, fruit from trader joes and whole foods
Other: Rental, utility, oil and overdue bill assist when has the government funding
Project Soup: Nina
Hours: Open 6 days a week. Mon, Tues, Fri: 10-2. Wed: 12-4, Thurs: 1-4, Sat: 9-2
Often: 1 x month
Who: Somerville residents only.
Demographics: Large portion El Salvadorian, Mexican, Brazilian. Some undocumented. Some just lost
jobs. A lot of families. Many members in 1 house, many per room
Foods: Canned food, eggs, produce, meat, cheese from greater Boston food bank and private donations
Other: They are part of Somerville homeless coalition. Supposed to be an emergency food pantry only.
Assist with job search, resumes, finding housing, language skills
Somerville Cambridge Elderly Services: Lee
Meals on wheels. Hours M-F 8-4:30. Deliver 9-1:30.
Often: Mon-Fri. Saturday with special circumstances
Who: Somerville and Cambridge residents
Demographic: Must be 60 years or older and income based eligibility.
Foods: Hot meals, frozen meals, diabetic/cardiac or puree meals
Food from a caterer in Everett. Would not tell where funding/donations from
Other: The center also help the elderly with transportation, etc.
Watertown
Watertown Food Pantry: Alfredo
Hours: Tues 9-11: 30. Serves food 10-11:30. Thurs: 3-6. Serves 4-6
Often: 1 x month (clients often go to St. Vincent du Paul in Watertown also to fill gap)
Who: Must be Watertown resident.
Demographic: A lot of single women/moms with 2-5 kids. Russian, Asian, Armenia, Latino population
Foods: Canned food, veggies, fruit, oatmeal, pasta, sauce, toilet paper, soap
From: Pepperidge farms, community donations-money and food
Other: Does not provide other services. Gives info about other resources to clients or has them go to the
senior center where a social worker can assist them
*Totally run by town of Watertown. Money goes into a revolving fund. Newsletter for donations goes
out
St. Patrick’s-St. Vincent du Paul: Peggy (director)
Hours: Tues/Thurs: 10-11:45
Often: Every 2 weeks
Who: Residents of Watertown with proof of residency
Demographic: Mostly elderly until 6 months ago. Now more 40-50s. Mix of people. Families and
singles. Large Armenian population
Food: Set up like a grocery store. Veggies, cereal, pasta, sauce, canned goods, eggs, cheese, meat, some
paper goods.
From: Donations, Boston food back, shopping to fill gaps
Other: none
Hearty Meal for All:
Hours/often: 1 x a month. The second Friday at 6:30 pm for a meal. (not really a food pantry)
Who: All are welcome
Demographic: A lot of people from a local senior housing complex come over. Many homeless or near
homeless. Some families. Largely Caucasian. Many elderly. Most was, bike or take public
transportation.
Food: 1 hot meal a month. Local, organic, healthy meal with an executive chef.
From: Food for free: produce, When Pigs Fly: bread, a farm in western MA, daves fresh past. Buys some
groceries with money from donations and grants
Other: none
Appendix C: Legal Agreement with Fresh Pond
Apartments
Appendix D: Cultural Scene Ethnography, Michael Morse 2009
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Professor Susan Bumbulucz
Cultural Scene Ethnography
Michael Morse
April 22, 2009
Introduction
I chose Helping Hand Food Pantry located at St. James’s Episcopal Church on Massachusetts
Avenue in North Cambridge for my cultural scene ethnography. I made this selection because I
am interested in the cultural workings of this food pantry where I have had two different roles
over the past 14 years. I began 14 years ago as a regular Saturday volunteer at the pantry
checking in clients and helping with the distribution of food for several years. 10 years ago, I
joined the board of directors. Since joining the board, I have been involved in fund raising, grant
writing, interviewing and hiring the director, and consulting with the director and other board
members on writing policy related to emergency protocol for injury or behavioral or mental
health crises during the operating hours of the Pantry. My first couple of years on the board I
continued to volunteer. So I have a couple of different kinds of insider perspectives. The board
perspective has been at more of a distance. I wondered getting close to the day-to-day workings
of the pantry again, would I find much has changed since I last volunteered eight years ago.
Thinking anthropologically, I wondered if volunteers had changed much in terms of how they
see their role and their relationship to clients. I wondered how the structures and rules related to
food distribution affect the ways in which clients and volunteers interact. I wondered what
practices exist for ensuring the fair distribution of food, whether or not these practices appear to
be consistent or contradictory, and what people do for food when what they get from Helping
Hand runs out. I wondered if there are other goals besides the fair distribution of food that are
being pursued and how those goals interact with the primary goal. I wondered how clients
experience the pantry, how volunteers experience the pantry, and what surprises or unexpected
discoveries might lead to a better understanding of client needs and how the board can better
support the pantry. I planned to use participant observation as a primary research method. This
became complicated as a result of me hurting my back. I was not really able to carry bags or
perform many of the activities volunteers perform. I was able to observe the workings of the
pantry. I relied on the director to provide large-scale demographic data. Clients provided
individual information like the community they come from, the number of people in their
household, their nationality, and how regularly they come to the pantry. I used interviews with
volunteers and clients to answer the following research questions:

Why are you volunteering at the pantry? (Volunteers)

How do the rules influence your work/relationships here? (Volunteers and clients)

What do you like about the pantry? (Volunteers and clients)

What is hard about the pantry? (Volunteers and clients)

How many in you’re household? (Clients)

How far do you travel to get here? (Clients)

Why do you come to this food pantry? (Clients)

What other comments would you like to make about your experiences with this pantry?
(Volunteers and clients)
These questions initiated a discussion that resulted in the acquisition of far more information. I
definitely was given information I would never have gotten through observation alone.
Physical Description
The helping Hand food pantry is located in the basement of St. James’s Episcopal Church in
Cambridge. Clients enter from the parking lot, through a side door, behind the sanctuary. Upon
entering, they are given numbers to indicate their order in line and sit on folding chairs in the
hallway at the top of the stairs leading to the pantry. The hallway has a tiled floor, men’s and
women’s bathrooms, and bulletin boards with church activities and pantry information in
English, Spanish, and French. The pantry director sits at a table next to a locking file cabinet
that stores the pantry records for each client. USDA rules require clients meet income
guidelines, prove they have a residence, and allow only one visit per month to each food pantry.
The director checks in the client by getting their name and entering the date on a record sheet.
This prevents people from coming more than one time per month. If the client is new, the
director asks about their income and household size, proof of residence (something that has the
persons address), and gives the person an information sheet with a list of other food pantries and
social service resources. I observe the director registering a new client without the proof of
residence, making a note of that in their record, and asking them to bring it next time. Two
volunteers wait in the basement to bring clients through the pantry once they have been checked
in. The pantry is very small, perhaps ten feet by twelve feet. It has a sink with running water,
many shelves, and a sliding door cooler. The floor is cement and there are many plastic bins to
store and protect the food. The walls are freshly painted. But the college students who provided
that service left their handprints and painted their names on the ceiling. The room tends to be
dark and cramped. Two volunteers and two clients at a time fill the room.
Description of the People
The director trains and supervises the volunteers, checks in clients, manages the waiting area,
interfaces with the church, orders USDA food from the Boston Food Bank, receives other
contributions of food, and maintains necessary records for quarterly reports and fundraising
efforts. As the face of the pantry, she does a lot to set the tone seeking to be friendly and
welcoming yet disciplined about expectations like maintaining order in the hallway and limits on
how much food each person can get. The volunteers attempt to follow the directions given them
by the director. Typically clients are allowed up to 4 bags of food depending on availability of
food and size of their household. Volunteers walk through the pantry with clients explaining or
indicating (when there is a language barrier) how much of each type of food can be taken. For
example, the director may decide that people can only take 2 cans of peaches because she is
anticipating 50 families and only has 100 cans. She wants to be sure everyone gets to have
some. The director goes over these ground rules with the volunteers ahead of time. Volunteers
often carry the bags for clients and will take the bags up stairs for them to cars if they have one
or carts they may have for transport. With experience, volunteers may give a client a little more
of one thing they prefer if they are willing to forgo something else. Nevertheless, clients
occasionally meet in the parking lot to exchange food to try to get more of what they want.
Volunteers seek to be kind and helpful while sticking to the guidelines established by the
director. Clients generally understand the structure well. They line up outside the door. They
each receive a number in the order in which they enter. They are mostly orderly and seem to
have confidence that food will be distributed equitably so that they are not at a huge
disadvantage if they are at the end of the line (interviewees mentioned this as an important
positive about Helping Hand). Clients are generally clean and dressed casually. Clients report
visiting other food pantries on the once a month schedule, using food stamps, and volunteering at
places that distribute food in order to get enough food to feed their families. Clients seem to
know they can try to get extra peanut butter if they don’t take caned peaches, for example
Haitians and Russians tend to arrive in small groups. Haitians usually come in groups of women.
Russians tend to come as couples and there may be more than one couple together. Caucasians
and Asians tend to come as individuals. Clients are usually friendly and appreciative. On the
three occasions when I was at the pantry, director, volunteers, and clients were very businesslike
revealing a high degree of conformity to the roles and expectations of the food pantry culture.
Interestingly, on one occasion I was able to witness some tension with the church community as
church members sought to get food pantry clients out the door before the beginning of a
reception held in conjunction with a funeral of a church member. I will elaborate on this later.
My role was somewhat mixed. As I mentioned, I was not able to do some of the tasks volunteers
did including carrying bags, stocking shelves, and cleaning up the pantry afterwards. The first
time I went down I was sent back up by one of the volunteers who thought I was a renegade
client. She was very firm. I mostly observed and conducted interviews. I had hoped to
interview some Russians and Haitians because together they account for 70% of the clients. The
Russians, however, did not speak English and I only learned enough Russian in my past
experience as a volunteer to say “please” (spacebo) and “good day” (das vedanyia). I was able to
speak with two Haitian women and three Caucasian women. Men were also reluctant to talk.
My position left me feeling more like an outsider than I wished, especially considering I have
such strong competing memories and other experiences with the pantry. On the other hand, the
interviews, which I had not done before, and the chance observation of the churches interaction
with the pantry provided information that I never had before.
Cultural Analysis
I want to express this analysis in four parts. First, I want to explore the similarly held
experiences of the clients. Second, I want to explore the different viewpoints of the volunteers.
Third, I want to use a specific observation of an interaction between church members and pantry
clients. Fourth, I want to elaborate on an unexpected finding.
In interviews, all clients reported feeling positive about the pantry. They felt that they were
treated well by the director, volunteers, and other clients. One woman said, “They’re glad to
serve you”. Another mentioned, “They never make you feel like you’re begging.” They said
that the food selection was good and they were pleased that fresh foods were generally available.
They understood the rules and believed that the rules protected them and ensured fairness in
distribution. Limits on what they could get meant they had to go to other food pantries as well
and they felt supported that Helping Hand maintained lists of other pantries. They liked the fact
that they have choices over what to get. A couple clients mentioned that they did not take things
they would not use so that there would be more for people who would use those items. There
seemed to be a sense of sharing – that one ought not to take something just because it’s available,
but should leave it for others who would appreciate having it. Clients seemed quite sophisticated
about how to make use of the services. They were aware of the advantages of volunteering (both
volunteers I spoke with were also clients of the food pantry). They often knew about USDA
rules and programs like Food For Free and the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee,
Inc. The only complaint expressed was a wish for more fresh fruits and vegetables. These
seemed to be the most difficult things to keep in stock.
The two volunteers I interviewed had different views on how well the pantry was being run. One
volunteer from Somerville who has been there five years compared the current director to the
previous director feeling that the current director was not as disciplined in distributing food and
managing volunteers. She noted times when food ran out before all the clients went through on
Thursdays when she volunteered (it should be noted that the main weekly USDA food shipment
arrives on Fridays and the other volunteer I spoke with worked on Saturdays when the shelves
were full). She also felt that other volunteers who were also clients were taking more than their
fair share. She felt the director needed to take a stronger stand on volunteers taking food and set
better limits on distribution so that the pantry would not run out of food on Thursdays. She
noted flexibility in the director allowing people to come back another day later in the month if
there was not much food left on a Thursday. She also felt the pantry should be kept cleaner. The
church has a mouse problem and she observed volunteers not securing food in bins and not
cleaning properly. She was the volunteer that redirected me out of the pantry when I showed up
on a Thursday. She takes her role very seriously and has a protective stance toward clients.
When she first heard what I was doing, she was not sure I should be doing it. But then she
agreed to be interviewed and seemed to feel better about me. She also talked about the kindness
of the other volunteers and the clients. She mentioned Russians who would bring her little gifts
(a sweet or some small token). She believed the pantry was a vital resource and was very happy
to be involved with it. In contrast, my Saturday volunteer, a man from South Boston who had
been volunteering for six months felt things were managed quite well. He liked meeting
different people and he was working on becoming a Red Cross driver so he could handle food
pick-ups and deliveries (the Red Cross delivers the food that comes from the Greater Boston
Food Bank every Friday). He said sometimes he wished there was more help. He noted that
people seem more desperate in the six months since he started volunteering. He sometimes
found it difficult to say no when people wanted more. But he felt the director was good about
setting limits and explaining the value of them. He noted that the director was trying to help him
find housing closer to the pantry. That would allow him to live closer to his sister and be more
involved in the pantry. It seemed that the director takes an interest in clients needs beyond food.
She is willing to help with housing and finding other resources available to families. When
asked, the director explained that she believes serving the whole person is important. Because of
previous work experience, she has contacts and networks of resources she can tap into for
people. While it does not seem like this interferes with the primary goal of the pantry, as a board
member I felt it was important to follow up on making sure the pantry is well stocked with food
and that the director is doing everything she can to ensure the food supply with the board’s
support. We have been discussing food shortages and how to address the problem for the past
eight months.
On Saturday, February 21st, I arrived to discover that the pantry had been opened early and most
clients had already been checked in and gotten their food. The church had taken over the parking
lot excluding food pantry clients and parishioners were preparing for a reception for the
congregation and the family of a 12 year old boy who died of the flu earlier in the week. This
was a tragic and heart wrenching time. So it was difficult to say what was motivating the
behavior of some church members. But it was clear that the people preparing for the reception
did not want any sign of food pantry clients in or near the church. I witnessed a church member
speaking sternly to the director about clients in the hallway. I felt divided over what to do, but
spotted another board member who attends the church and asked him to intervene. Was this an
isolated incident, prompted by grief or motivated by some misguided principle having to do with
clearing the area of those who “don’t belong”? The director moved clients through as quickly as
possible and then posted a sign on the door that the pantry was closed due to lack of food. I had
mixed feelings about that too. Because in reality it was closed due to the church holding this
reception at the same time the pantry is usually open. No question emotions were running high,
but how did the church schedule this at a time the pantry would be open? And why compound
the tragedy of a young boy’s death with the suffering of hungry people who unexpectedly cannot
get food? I asked the director about this. She felt that it was not unusual for church members to
be insensitive to the needs of food pantry clients. She found out about this reception the day
before and took the step of arriving early to walk clients through as they arrived before she was
forced to shut down. She felt that saying the pantry had run out of food was the quickest way to
get the clients who arrived later to disburse quickly without asking questions. While this seemed
to buy into the view of food pantry clients as “undesirables” it also probably protected the clients
form the anger of insensitive parishioners. The other board member calmed things and by the
time I left hostility seemed to be over. It seemed to me that, though this was an especially tragic
moment, the treatment of the food pantry and its clients was a sign of deeper conflict within the
church about its commitment to the pantry.
The surprise finding was that some people use the pantry as a gathering place to maintain family
relationships. I interviewed one Haitian woman from Everett who said that she and her extended
family planned their trips to food pantries so that they could meet with each other and visit. I
happened into this by chance when I walked up to five Haitian women engaged in a lively
discussion. I politely interrupted and asked if I might interview one of them for this project. The
woman from Everett said, “Yes.” When I asked her about their familiarity with each other, she
explained that they were all part of the same extended family. Two others lived in Malden. One
lived in Cambridge and the other lived in Medford. They each had their own children to care for
and missed each other. Sometimes, the food pantries would be their only opportunity in a month
to get together. They knew that they would have time to visit while they were waiting in line.
They had to go out to the pantry for food anyway. And this gave them a chance to see each
other. I had noticed before that Haitian women often came in groups. They tended to know each
other and be engaged in conversation. Now, suddenly, I saw that activity in a completely
different way. These were not chance meetings of people who shared the same national heritage.
These were not even necessarily just friends who happened to come together from the same
community. These were women figuring out how to use a regular part of their lives to come
together from different communities to maintain their family ties. This had never occurred to
me. I was both greatly surprised and very pleased that this food pantry offered these people this
opportunity. I began to think of other observations of groups of women from Haiti in a different
way. I suspect this is a very common phenomenon.
So this research really underscores how a food pantry can get integrated into an extended
families’ life. It shows how people manage exchange under circumstances in which they only
have enough money to secure housing but not enough money for food. It shows how a group of
people can create a shared set of norms for a specific cultural context that has to be accountable
to a government program and exist as a subculture in a wider culture that is ambivalent toward it.
It shows how helping people obtain food can lead to helping people secure other needs. And it
shows how much difference respect and kindness can make when someone is down and out.
Personal Assessment
Much of what I already believed about the pantry was confirmed. I was not surprised to find that
clients had positive experiences to share. I was not surprised to find that many volunteers are
also clients of the pantry. I was not surprised by the reaction of some people in the church to the
food pantry clients. I was not surprised to find disagreements where strong individual
personalities were involve and was happy to note that even with some disagreement commitment
to the pantry was strong on the part of volunteers, clients, and the director. To some extent, my
past history with the pantry undoubtedly influenced what I observed and elicited in interviews.
On the other hand, the director taking time to help people with other needs besides food
surprised me. And I was very surprised to find the pantry being used as a rendezvous for women
of extended Haitian families. I feel like the research was very effective from the point of view of
collecting this piece of information I did not know before and would have had no way of
knowing apart from asking. It was a good experience and as I return to my role as a board
member I want to share this observation about how the pantry is being used by Haitian families.
Who knows where this simple piece of information might lead.
Appendix E: Data from Client Survey, March 26, 2012
Which town do
you live in?
How long have
you been
coming to this
pantry?
Did you know
this pantry used
to be located at
a church / St
James'?
Would you
prefer to come
here or to St
James'?
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
6 months
1 year
6 months
7 months
no
yes
yes
yes
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Cambridge
Cambridge
Somerville
Somerville
Somerville
Somerville
Somerville
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
Cambridge
2 years
3 years
1 year
1 year
1 year
1 year
1 year
1.5 years
1 year
more than 1 year
more than 1 year
2-3 years
6-7 months
1 year
8 months
1st time today
1 year
3-4 months
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
no
yes
no
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
St James'
Fresh Pond
no preference
no preference
St James'
St James'
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
no preference
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Fresh Pond
Notes
2 kids in
tow
with wife