Neighbors Helping Neighbors

It’s not your typical supermarket: its hours are limited, its inventory comes entirely from the community and there are no price tags, scanners or checkout lines.

But for the seventy-plus Wrentham families who depend on it, the Wrentham Food Pantry is a blessing.

Started in 1987 by members of the Original Congregational Church (OCC) Youth Group, the pantry continues to serve the community today through the efforts of the OCC, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Parish of St. Mary. It supplies basic foods and personal hygiene items to Wrentham families in need.

“Our mission is to supply a three-day emergency supply of food” explained Cathy Marcin, director of the Wrentham Food Pantry.

To that end, families are invited to “shop” at the pantry, at the Original Congregational Church, each Saturday from 10am to 12 noon. “Shoppers” select items from a list, compiled by a nutritionist, with the number of items they take with them determined by the size of their families.

Jelly, baked beans, soup, powdered milk, vegetables, juice and margarine are among the staples available from the pantry shelves. Bathroom necessities, including soap, toothpaste and toilet tissue are also available. During the summer months, there are also fresh vegetables, courtesy of “Harvest of the Heart,” White Barn Farm and other local organic farms.

“The community is really great about giving,” Marcin stated.

Though there is always a need, the pantry has seen a surge in demand because of the current economic downturn.

“We see sign-ups every weekend,” Marcin noted. “It’s a sign of the times.”

She added that the winter weather has also placed an additional strain on family food budgets because of heating bills.

The food pantry is headed by a board of directors, which includes Marcin and 11 others. In addition, the pantry is dependent on the efforts of volunteers, who staff the pantry, work in the (Harvest Of the Heart) garden and provide pick-up service when the pantry needs to purchase supplies.

According to Marcin, the community has embraced the food pantry with a stream of donations coming from the farms, individuals and local businesses.

“Supermarkets, like Shaw’s in Franklin, have donated gift cards,” she explained. “We get a lot of donations around the holidays... People are very generous, and those who visit the food pantry get to see that the holidays are about more than just presents under a tree.”

Currently, the pantry is in need of food items beyond “the basics”: juice boxes, canned fruit, apple sauce for school lunches as well as healthy snacks for home consumption.

"We concentrate on the basic meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Marcin said.

Those wishing to take advantage of the Food Pantry’s services are simply required to provide proof of residency, such as a bill and a driver’s license. Beyond proving that they are Wrentham residents, there are no further requirements.

“Confidentiality is one of our big concerns,” Marin noted, explaining why there are no official forms or applications to be filled out. The pantry can be contacted by phoning (508) 384-3110.

Marcin has been involved with the food pantry for the past two years.

“My mom (Nancy Cummings) got me into it,” she said.

During her involvement with the food pantry, she has seen, first-hand, that “Wrentham is just a generous community."

“It’s good to see people giving back. We’re neighbors helping neighbors,” she said.