Food Insecurity Parkside Pantry

Parkside Pantry Update

The idea for Parkside Pantry began after the pandemic started in March 2020 as we looked for ways to respond to our neighbors in need. Trinity’s Parkside Pantry officially opened in April 2021. Since then, we have given out over 1400 bags of food as well as turkeys and other fixings at Thanksgiving time. We are open once a month for one hour and the average number of families we serve each month has gone up from 22 families per month in 2022 to about 40-50 families per month in 2025. We are extremely grateful for the support of everyone at Trinity who has helped make this possible as well as our partnership with the Food Bank of Western Mass which allows us to offer fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat and dairy products!

 
Fast Facts About the Parkside Pantry:
  • Pantry is open 4th Wed. of each month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Hale Room entrance.
  • We serve an average of 40-50 families per month.
  • As members of the Food Bank of Western Mass, we receive food for a minimal monthly cost     ** We distributed 7386 pounds of food in 2024, costing only $357due to our partnership with the Food Bank of Western Mass (FBWM)!!
  • Our refrigerators and freezers allow us to offer fresh local produce, meat and dairy products.
  • A team of about 8 volunteers donates 2 hours of time a month to help staff our pantry on the 4th Weds of the month. Other volunteers give us about 1 hour a month of their time to pick up the food at the FBWM in Chicopee or help unload and organize the food at Trinity.
  • A core team of 4 volunteers meets monthly to plan for all aspects of the pantry.