Acord Food Pantry: Tackling Hunger on The North Shore

When asked what she loves most about her job after 10 years as Acord Food Pantry’s executive director, Stacey Verge emphasized community: “There is power in having so many people working toward the same goal, and it’s wonderful to have that support.” The pantry opened in 1991 and has been a GBFB partner for more than a decade. It now serves six North Shore towns—Hamilton, Wenham, Essex, Topsfield, Ipswich and Manchester—and, on average, 468 clients per month. Unfortunately, the number of clients served is up 56% over this past year, demonstrating the continuous increase in the need for food.

Acord is also one of the nearly 600 agency partners supported by GBFB’s Community Investment Grant Program, which helps partners better meet the needs of their communities. Over the past decade, nearly $7 million worth of financial assistance has been awarded.

Acord’s grant enabled the purchase of a new van for food deliveries, pick-ups and Mobile Markets. “It’s made a big difference, and we haven’t even tapped the full capacity of what the van will allow us to do,” said Verge.

In addition, Acord Food Pantry received more than $130,000 worth of free food over the past year from GBFB—about 100,000 pounds. “We literally couldn’t operate without The Greater Boston Food Bank,” Verge shared, “Our clients particularly like perishable foods—they’re looking for meat and fish and milk, so it’s been amazing to have those delivered by GBFB.”

By supporting GBFB, you’re helping fuel a food distribution network across Eastern Massachusetts and funding critical initiatives like the Community Investment Grant Program, which helps partners serve more clients, distribute more food and better assist underserved communities.