GBFB Honors Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry with Community Partner of the Year Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Loaves & Fishes Contact:
Patricia Stern
director@loavesfishespantry.org
978-772-4627
GBFB Media Contact:
Nate Hillyer
nhillyer@thecastle.grp.com
617.337.9508
The Greater Boston Food Bank Honors Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry with Community Partner of the Year Award
GBFB’s Partner Appreciation Awards honor the most dedicated hunger-relief volunteers, donors, agencies and advocates
DEVENS, MA (September 30, 2022) – The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), the largest hunger-relief organization in New England, has named Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry of Devens as the recipient of its Community Partner of the Year Award. For nearly 20 years, GBFB’s awards program seeks to celebrate and show appreciation for the individuals and organizations that have collaborated to end hunger across Eastern Massachusetts.
Throughout the month, twelve awards will be given to valued partner agencies, public officials, volunteers, donors and other organizations that have made considerable contributions to GBFB’s mission to end hunger over the past two years.
The Community Partner of the Year Award is given to an emergency feeding program and GBFB member agency or program partner that has gone above and beyond in fulfilling GBFB’s mission. Loaves & Fishes was awarded for its dedication to innovation, accessibility, and collaboration, effectively serving 7 communities throughout the pandemic. Loaves & Fishes quickly adapted to the needs of the community in the face of COVID-19, transitioning to an outdoor, drive-through distribution model and installing an intercom system to support social distancing.
Loaves & Fishes also received a 2021 Community Investment grant from GBFB, which enabled the Devens pantry to purchase a new 24’ insulated dock height truck to pick up food from GBFB’s Boston warehouse, not just for their own pantry but for 6 neighboring food distribution partners including: Acton Community Supper and Food Pantry, Townsend Ecumenical Outreach, PACH Outreach in Pepperell, Bedford Community Table Pantry, Medway Village Food Pantry and Medway Food Pantry.
“We are honored to be the recipient of the Greater Boston Food Bank 2022 Community Partner of the Year Award,” said Patricia Stern, Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes. “The past few years have been challenging but with a committed team of Board members, staff, volunteers and the generous support of our community we have been able to adapt our operation and continue to serve our neighbors who are struggling. We are particularly pleased that we have been able to establish partnerships with other area pantries and utilize our new truck to help them retrieve their orders from GBFB. We have learned that together we can accomplish a lot – it’s our recipe for success!”
The award was presented at Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry in Devens on Friday, September 23, 2022.
“Loaves & Fishes is a pinnacle of innovation and collaboration in the food bank community,” said Jonathan Tetrault, Vice President of Community Impact at GBFB. “The pantry addresses not only food insecurity but also the systemic issues surrounding it, adapting to the unique challenges of the pandemic, working closely with surrounding food bank partners to optimize hunger-relief in the area, and listening to feedback from those they partner with and serve. Loaves & Fishes is exceedingly responsive and truly dedicated to the communities they serve.”
The Partner Appreciation Awards are one of many GBFB initiatives throughout Hunger Action Month in September, encouraging Massachusetts residents to get involved in the fight against hunger. More information on the other initiatives can be found here.
Those in need of food assistance are encouraged to visit GBFB.org/need-food, where they can find a list of resources and search for a food program by zip code.
About Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1983 to help neighbors in need. With the help of more than 240 volunteers and hundreds of donors, the Pantry provides nutritious groceries and personal care products to residents of Ayer, Devens, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Littleton and Shirley. In addition, the program also has a counseling component which connects clients with other critical community resources.
About The Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. As the food bank for Eastern Massachusetts, GBFB is feeding people in 190 towns across the region, distributing the equivalent of nearly 100 million meals through a network of 600 dedicated food distribution partners and programs. A member of the national Feeding America network, GBFB’s mission is to end hunger here. The organization remains committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. For more information and to help us help others, visit us at GBFB.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@gr8bosfoodbank) and Instagram, or call us at 617.427.5200.
Media Contact
Catherine Lynn
GBFB
VP, Communications and Public Affairs
617.828.7422
press@gbfb.org