Community Newsletter
August, 2019
How you've helped your neighbors in need on their road to self-sufficiency.
Times are still tough when you're not earning a living wage

We have had another record month in the Food Pantry with 911 visitors - far exceeding our prior record of 877. This shows that times are still tough. And once you learn more about the local living wage, that makes sense.

The legal minimum wage in Massachusetts is currently $12 an hour. But are these wages enough to live on? Not in Massachusetts where the cost of living is so high.

According to the Living Wage Calculator from MIT, a family of 4 in Essex County, with two working adults and two children needs to earn $18.46 combined to survive - and that doesn't include any emergency expenses or savings.

So they come to the Food Pantry for help. And thanks to supporters like you, we are ready and able to help.

We have a new truck!

Thanks to two very generous donors, we now have a new refrigerated box truck to pick up food at the food bank. With its adjustable height lift gate, it makes pick ups a much easier and now one-person job. By freeing up staff, we’ve been able to start several new programs in the Food Pantry.

New Grab 'n Go program

One of the ways we're utilizing this staff availability is to start the Grab 'n Go program to fill the local lunchtime meal-gap. Daily dinners are provided by many houses of worship, but we now also offer people experiencing hardship in acquiring and storing food a daily bag of tasty, protein and nutrient rich snacks to tide them over until dinner.

Toiletry donations needed

Because toiletry items are not covered by SNAP benefits, we supply them to our Food Pantry clients. But we rely heavily on community donations to keep our shelves stocked. Here are just some of the items we need:

Shampoo
Toothbrush & toothpaste
Feminine hygiene produces
Diapers (size 3-6)
Body Wash
Men's & Women's razors
Coldwell Banker holds backpack drive
Thank you to Coldwell Banker and all those who participated in their backpack and school supply drive so that we can provide students withe the tools they need to succeed in school.

Ebersole Construction fixes up Pantry
To improve the flow of the Food Pantry and accommodate the increasing number of client visits, Ebersole Construction made the counters modular, mobile and adjustable to future needs. Quicker service makes for happier clients! Thank you!

Shaw's Bags raise funds
Half way through the month, the sale of Give Back Where it Counts reusable bags at Shaw's in July, had raised $276 already! Thanks to Shaw's and all who participated in this fundraiser.

Community Bag Program
Entire month of August
Stop & Shop, Enon & Elliott Street, Beverly 
Beverly Bootstraps was selected to be a part of the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program, which is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community while supporting the environment. For the month of June, each time a $2.50 reusable Community Bag is purchased at the Stop & Shop on Enon or Elliott Street, $1 will be donated to Beverly Bootstraps.

Market Basket Food Drive
September, 7 from 9am-1pm
Market Basket, Endicott Street, Danvers
While doing your own grocery shopping at Market Basket Danvers on Saturday, grab an extra item or two to drop in the food drive donation bins on your way out! Help us stock the Food Pantry shelves for the fall!
To learn more, click on these handy links:
35 Park Street, Beverly, MA 01915 • 978-927-1561 • BeverlyBootstraps.org