June 11, 2025 Newsletter
MAY UPDATE
In May, we served 432 unique households and filled 1,585 requests for food assistance. They included 14 first-time households with 25 family members. We also had 14 first-time guests in April. Despite the new guests, our average food requests for the last three months remained pretty constant, with 315 orders per week in March, 316 in April, and 317 in May. The turnover of guests is normal as the majority of our guests do not use us every week, and some only use us every several months. However, they know that we are here and ready to serve them as the need arises.
The Be Well Study research group from Massachusetts General Hospital and Greater Boston Food Bank made their bi-annual visit to the pantry. Their purpose is to evaluate how the color-coding system influences guests to make healthier food choices. All items on our ordering system are color coded Green for (Choose Often), Yellow (Choose Sometimes), Red (Choose Rarely), or white (not yet ranked). The rankings are based on the amount of Sodium, Saturated Fat, and Added Sugars each item has.
Their research team randomly selected 25 guests and did an extensive exit interview that consisted of a verbal questionnaire, a “basket inspection,” and use of the Veggie Meter (a fast, non-invasive, painless assessment of vegetable consumption using light reflected off the skin of the fingertip). Guests who have been interviewed are very intrigued by their reading on the Veggie Meter. Each guest is given a $25 gift card at the end of the interview, and the pantry receives $500. We will not know the results until the study is published.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Tom Manning
Tom’s role may be “non-traditional,” but his impact is anything but. He first got involved in 2020 by driving his wife to volunteer when the pantry was still operating out of the church pews. As a retired software developer, Tom saw an opportunity to lend his skills in a unique way, by making systems more efficient behind the scenes. From improving how we generate call lists to creating better pickup and delivery bag tags, which helps reduce time and stress for the whole team. He’s even stepped in to help with bookkeeping when needed!
One of Tom's favorite parts of being involved for so long has been watching the pantry evolve from church pews during COVID to a fully equipped facility with refrigeration and freezer space.
Lastly, what stands out most to Tom is “the large number of dedicated volunteers. It’s a great team to work with.”
Want to support your community in your own way? Join our team! Email
info@newburyfoodpantry.org to get started.
10 YEARS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OPEN HOUSE
This past Sunday, June 8, we held an Open House to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the First Parish Newbury Food Pantry. It was a huge success! The weather cooperated which enabled us to set up tables, chairs and tents outside leaving plenty of open space inside the pantry for tours, and the wonderful celebratory displays created by our genius volunteer event team (pictured below).
We held a raffle, offered refreshments and special cookies, while the band, OK Combo, kept things rocking while the 150 or so guests who attended wandered throughout the event.
The winners of the raffle were...
Amy Merrow - A quilt made by Sew and Sew Quilters from the Salisbury Senior Center
Paula Sable - Gift certificates to Chococoa Baking Co. & Cafe
Kathleen Benson - an Air Fryer donated by Catlin Henault, a volunteer
Nicole Bloom - A gift certificate to Loretta
A very special thanks goes to the open house organizers and creative team (all volunteers):
Mary Murray
Cathy Utt
Caroline Monahan
Nina Tanis, artist
Patty Doggett
Left: A pyramid of spaghetti sauce cans labeled with pantry statistics from last year. For instance: We serve anyone who needs food assistance in the 7 towns we service.
Right: These pie charts illustrate the towns and populations we serve, sources of food distribution, and how donations are spent.
Left: Cathy Utt and Caroline Monahan stand next to our guest comments tree, and below are a couple of those comments.
"Since I stopped driving 2 yrs ago, you were the only group who delivered food in my area. I believe there's a special place reserved for people like you. Keep up the good work. Bless you all and thank you!"
"To all of you at the Newbury Food Pantry, thank you so much for all that you do. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. Your kindness is wonderful. The many changes happening everywhere make life so unpredictable and difficult at times. People like you help with the difficulties. Thank you?"
Right: Paula Sable with her Chococoa gift certificates.
Top: Barbara Fernald and Wanda Crowe, managing the volunteer registration table.
Bottom: The Open House organizing team, Patty Doggett, Caroline Monahan, Cathy Utt, Nina Tanis, and Mary Murray.
Left: The awesome OK Combo band.
Right: Jane Merrow delivering her heart felt thanks to the crowd.
FUND RAISERS, FOOD DRIVES AND DONATIONS
Montessori School in Newburyport organized a Diaper Drive and delivered 50 pounds of diapers to the pantry.
Masconomet Regional High School Personal Care Drive organized by Isabel Joined, donated 85 pounds of personal care items to the pantry.
Camp Bauercrest in Amesbury, organized a drive that brought in 113 pounds of miscellaneous items for the pantry.
THANK YOU!!
LORETTA FUNDRAISER
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 starting at 5PM
Our Loretta fundraiser continues… Wednesday, June 11. Starting at 5 pm, Loretta will donate part of the proceeds to the Pantry. Plan on dinner out (take out or eat in). You'll see a lot of familiar faces as the community turns out to support our work. We suggest that you make reservations in advance.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
As our work has expanded to help more neighbors in our community, our need for volunteers has increased. Volunteer opportunities include calling our guests to take their orders on Wednesday, staffing four shifts throughout the day on Friday to fulfill grocery orders for our guests, and assisting in the occasional Food Drive or other special projects on Saturdays.
Here is what our volunteers are saying:
"It’s a real pleasure to work in concert with such friendly, organized people. I loved the fast pace and the way the hours raced by."
"Such an awesome organization. So glad to be a part of this community effort."
"I really enjoy volunteering with you and everyone else at the pantry. It's such important work for the community and everyone is so welcoming and kind."
Come join us! Email Barbara at info@newburyfoodpantry.org to let her know you are interested.
FOOD DONATIONS
We accept food donations every Thursday from 9:30 am -1 pm. If you are not able to drop off at that time, please contact us at info@newburyfoodpantry.org or call 978-358-1077 to arrange another time.
Our most requested items include Coffee, Tea, Flour, Sugar, Baking Mixes, Cereals, Pasta Sides, Jello and Pudding Mixes, Jelly, Broths, Soups, and Toilet Paper.