Nantucket Has Food Insecurity?

As one of Massachusetts’s top luxury destinations for summer vacations, it may surprise some that food insecurity exists on Nantucket. Like many communities with a regular influx of seasonal visitors, those who live on the island full–time, and those who come to work through the island’s busy season, play a big part in in supporting restaurants, hospitality, and other businesses in the community at the height of the tourist season. When the season shifts, so does many of the residents’ employment and income, which is where The Nantucket Food Pantry steps in to bridge the gap for those who are impacted. 

GBFB’s network extends across Eastern Massachusetts. We operate several “cross-dock” sites so that agencies don’t have to travel all the way to Boston to pick up their food orders from GBFB. For The Nantucket Food Pantry, the Cape Cod cross-dock in Harwich is where we begin to help those on the island who depend on the pantry to feed themselves and their families.  

Working in partnership with GBFB, the pantry distributed as many as 20,000 bags of groceries to approximately 1,700 clients in the past year. The Nantucket Food Pantry also partners with Sustainable Nantucket through the Share your Harvest program inviting local backyard gardeners and small commercial farms to donate excess produce to the pantry. 

With a combination of community partnerships and support for The Nantucket Food Pantry, your donation to GBFB helps further our mission to end hunger here in these seasonal communities.