Spring 2024 Newsletter

What’s going on this season:

• Letter from the Board of Directors
• Volunteer Opportunities
• 40th (Ruby) Anniversary
• Building Community through Business Partnerships
• North Quabbin Foodathon May 21st

Letter from our Board of Directors:

To Our Valued Community and Family – patrons, volunteers, donors, and everyone who has participated in the success of our organization over the past FORTY YEARS!

We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for and it is all made possible by the collaboration of our community of friends and neighbors.

We want to take this opportunity to introduce our interim Executive Director, Meghan Williams, who has graciously stepped into the role vacated by our previous ED, Kim Croce, as she chose to move on to new adventures in her life. As we wished her all the best, we were so grateful to Meghan for her willingness to roll up her sleeves and dig right in, while we continue our search for a permanent replacement.

We invite anyone who is interested, or knows of someone who is interested, in taking the reins at the helm of  Franklin County Community Meals Program to please refer to the job description where applications are easily submitted via Indeed.

We also have opportunities for Meal Site Coordinators in Greenfield and Northfield and welcome interested candidates to apply for those positions, as well.

We are so thankful for our active network of volunteers and we could really use additional help. If you are interested in rejoining us in any volunteer capacity, please get in touch with Meghan at your earliest convenience – we will welcome you with wide open arms.

Wishing each of you a Happy Spring season of sunshine and growing gardens of healthy eating, wherever that bounty is available.

And from our family to yours, the very best.

The Board of Directors of The Franklin County Community Meals Program.

Volunteers are needed at our Greenfield Meal Site and our Orange Pantry

Sign up to help out with at the Greenfield Meal Site on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cooking and prep shifts are from 1-4pm. Set up, serving and clean up shifts from 3:30-6:30pm. Many hands make light work!

We are looking for volunteers to help on Mondays and Friday mornings at our Orange Food Pantry. Monday mornings we need helpers from 9am – 12pm to sort and stock donations. Friday mornings we need help packing groceries for deliveries and we are still looking for DRIVERS to support our household delivery model. If you’re comfortable driving our transit van for about 1.5 hours, can lift up to 50 pounds & walk up stairs or inclines, then this is the position for you! You will use our refrigerated van to deliver groceries to Orange and Athol residents who are unable to make it to the pantry. To join our Orange Food Pantry team, email [email protected]!

HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY FCCMP!

2 volunteers in the Greenfield kitchen

FCCMP started 40 years ago(!) when the a group of dedicated citizens within the Social Justice group at All Souls Unitarian Church set forth to start a program that would provide free meals to community members and the opportunity for social connection within Franklin County

Volunteer groups, including religious and social organizations, came together to feed the Greenfield Community with the focus on nourishment and fellowship. Four decades later FCCMP continues to rely on church groups, service organizations, and businesses to cook meals for the community.

The ruby is associated with 40th Anniversaries and symbolizes commitment just like the commitment of so many of our volunteers.

If you are interested in continuing the tradition now is the time to schedule your work team bonding day, organize a community service group, or join a team of other individuals under the guidance of one of our Site Coordinators at any one of our meal sites in Greenfield, Northfield, Orange, & Turners Falls.

To learn more about how you can help us feed the increased need, email [email protected]

May 21st please join us in raising money for 6 Food Pantries (including FCCMP’s Orange Food Pantry) serving the North Quabbin area. This year’s Food-A-Thon marks 21 years of helping local food pantries and programs. Now, more than ever, your donations help support local groups who are working hard to strengthen food security in our region. From 6am to 6pm you can watch on AOTV.

The North Quabbin Food-A-Thon helps support these programs that are helping people in our communities throughout the year.

• Athol High School Food Pantry
• Our Lady Immaculate Pantry in Athol
• Salvation Army Pantry and Meal Program in Athol
• Franklin County Community Meals Program (Community Meals Program in Orange and Orange Food Pantry)
• St. Vincent DePaul Pantry of St. Mary’s Church in Orange
• Good Neighbors Pantry in Wendell

For more information on volunteering during the event, or to make a donation please visit: https://nqfoodathon.com/