Summer is a great time to celebrate the bounty of Pioneer Valley farms, but many households face difficulties — financial and otherwise — in planning meals, feeding mouths, and accessing good nutrition. According to The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, about one in eight people living in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties suffers from chronic food shortages or needs emergency food assistance.
You can help. Find a way to donate your surplus seasonal crops to those in need. Here are some resources to help you get started:
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
97 North Hatfield Road, Hatfield
(413) 247-9738, foodbankwma.org
The Food Bank collects and donates food to the majority of shelters, food pantries, and food assistance programs in the area. Financial donations go a long way at the Food Bank — they state that for every $1 you donate, the center is able to provide three meals. But if you want to donate crops directly, the center accepts produce on a drop-in basis. The Food Bank is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Local food banks, shelters, and soup kitchens
To locate kitchens in your area, consider searching through AmpleHarvest.org, which provides a pretty thorough directory. The national website was created in 2008 to help individual gardeners and growers share their bounty. Enter a Western Mass zip code and many resources pop up, including survival centers, churches, and food ministries. Here are a few local spots:
∎ The Northampton Survival Center
265 Prospect St., Northampton (413) 586-6564
∎ Amherst Survival Center Food Pantry
1200 North Pleasant St., Amherst (413) 549-3968
∎ Hilltown Pantry
40 Main St., Goshen (413) 268-7578
∎ St. Francis Food Pantry
10 Park St., Belchertown (413) 323-6272
∎ Open Pantry Community Services
2460 Main St., Springfield (413) 737-5353
∎ Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen & Pantry
170 Pendexter Ave., Chicopee (413) 592-9528
Not every food bank and soup kitchen will accept non-perishable food items like fresh produce, although most do. If you’re not sure, call ahead.
Can it!
Some sites that don’t accept fresh perishable goods will accept home-canned or pickled food. If you have some extra produce like fruits, berries, vegetables, and peppers — and you’re better than our editor Kristin Palpini at canning — this may prove a fun alternative to donating straight veggies.•
