Jennifer Sammons

Suits and cocktail dresses stayed tucked away in closets this year, but Interfaith’s donors came through with an extraordinary showing of support for this year’s Feed the Hungry Gala at Home on Dec. 4.

Due to the unprecedented challenges presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Gala was presented this year in a virtual format on Zoom. Despite the format change, sponsors and donors came together to contribute an astounding $370,000, which will sustain Interfaith’s emergency food, mental health counseling and homelessness prevention programs into the next year.

Ticketed guests enjoyed a half-hour cocktail program before the main event, featuring music, games and more. The South Shore’s Old Oaken Bucket Band performed several songs that had been recorded specifically for the event, gala sponsor Spiritfruit shared a cocktail demonstration and longtime Interfaith supporter BinEnds gave a lesson on wine.

Premium ticket holders took part in several games during the pre-program, including a Wheel of Chance game. Winners took home gift certificates to area restaurants, including Coffee Break Cafe, Pearl & Lime and Granite Links.

After the cocktail portion, Interfaith’s Executive Director Rick Doane welcomed guests and introduced a video spotlighting Interfaith’s amazing volunteer crew. From his comments:

“At the start of this pandemic, when vulnerable populations were asked to remain at home, more than half of our regular volunteers were no longer able to come in for their weekly volunteer positions. We worried for a moment that we wouldn’t be able to keep the food pantry running at full capacity.

But then a miracle happened. So many wonderful people in this community stepped up and wanted to help. These volunteer “superheroes” jumped right in to serve our neighbors in need. They are the reason that we are able to continue feeding and helping people.” — Rick Doane

Throughout the program, guests learned about Interfaith’s mission and programs, including the impact of their donations and sponsorships. Did you know:

• $10,000 provides over 8,000 pounds of fresh vegetables for hungry families
• $5,000 funds our counseling center for two weeks, providing hundreds of counseling sessions to community members in need
• $2,500 provides three months’ worth of diapers for children whose families depend on our food pantry
• $1,000 prevents homelessness for one South Shore family
• $500 purchases 25 backpacks filled with school supplies for local children in need
• $250 buys five hand carts for clients who walk or take public transportation to the food pantry
• $100 provides 28 women with pads or tampons for the month – hygiene is not a luxury!

Near the end of program, Rick announced that just a day prior Interfaith received the largest one-time donation they’ve ever received. The Flatley Foundation surprised Rick and Interfaith’s Development team with a $100,000 donation to the Feed the Hungry Gala! This generous contribution brought the total funds raised for the event to more than $370,000. Incredible.

The program ended with a Gala favorite – Heads or Tails. The game, a coin flipping game of chance, is a popular feature at the annual in-person gala. Participants this year competed for a $500 VISA gift card donated by Interfaith’s Board of Directors.

 

Gala guests also went home with a unique souvenir. The restaurant and beverage partners who normally whip up delicious tastings for the event contributed to a Feed the Hungry Recipe Book. Featuring recipes from Alma Nove, Coffee Break Cafe, The Corner Stop, Spiritfruit Premium Vodka & Real Fruit, Fuji at WoC, Pearl & Lime, Granite Links, The Townshend and Victory Point, attendees can now try their hands at making some of our partners’ classic dishes.

Many of Interfaith’s restaurant partners also graciously contributed to the Silent Auction. Auction packages included a “farm chic” dinner for 20 by The Townshend and Holly Hill Farm, a round of golf at Black Rock Country Club, a Home Office Makeover and an Alma Nove dinner for six provided by Chef Paul Wahlberg.

Save the date for the 24th annual Feed the Hungry Gala – Dec. 3, 2021!

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Interfaith Social Services is grateful for all of the supporters who made the 2020 Feed the Hungry Gala at Home such a big success. We thank our sponsors:

Presenter Sponsors: The Flatley Foundation, Arbella Insurance Foundation and Mayor Thomas P. Koch Quincy Foundation

Champion Sponsors: Envision Bank, A Healthy Balance and HarborOne Bank

Hero Sponsors: Cambridge Savings Charitable Foundation, Quincy Mutual Group, Signet Electronic Systems, Inc. and MavroCreative

Activist Sponsors: Anodyne Homemaker Services, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Black Rock Cares, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, BMC HealthNet Plan, Campbell, DeVasto & Associates, Foxcroft Real Estate Management, FoxRock Properties, Keohane Funeral Home, MountainOne Bank, Neponset Valley Survey Associates, South Shore Health, State Street Corporation, Stop & Shop Supermarket and Yale Appliance & Lighting

Supporter Sponsors: Bank of Canton, Bay State Milling, Coastal Heritage Bank, Cohasset Insurance, Cosgrove, Eisenberg & Kiley, P.C., Crocker Electrical Co Inc., Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation, First Congregational Church Randolph UCC, Law Office of Francis X. Collins, Law Offices of George G. Burke, Plymouth Quarries, Rockland Trust – Blue Hills Charitable Foundation, South Shore Bank, Stephco Cleaning Co., United Healthcare Senior Care Options and Weymouth Rotary Club

Friends of Interfaith: Jennifer & Adam Chu, Victor Coletti, Thomas and Mary Dinneen, Robert Gibson, Art & Kathy Green, Andrea Kinnealey, Sarah & Kurt Livermore, Lisa McBirney, Susan Mueller, Gail Otis and Alexander & Nadine Steffan

In-Kind Donors and Media Sponsors: Elite Envelopes, East Coast Printing, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and South Shore Home Life & Style

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year we are especially grateful for YOU.

A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER

It has been an incredibly tough year for everyone. Here at Interfaith Social Services we just wrapped up our annual Thanksgiving distribution.

Last year we handed out about 900 Thanksgiving meal packages to our food pantry clients. This year we had close to 1,500 families sign up to receive holiday meal packages. The amount of need in our community is ASTOUNDING.

A THANKSGIVING MIRACLE

On Saturday, we were prepared to distribute more than 1,000 meal packages. Logistical issues caused a severe delay, leaving us empty handed with hundreds of families lined up waiting. Traffic stretched for blocks as we scrambled to find ways to assist each family.

Our director, Rick Doane, put out a plea for prayers and assistance on social media and our supporters came through in a big way. Within the hour, volunteers and donors arrived with turkeys, gift cards and monetary donations.

Just like Interfaith is there for people in their time of need, YOU were there for us on Saturday. It was nothing short of amazing. Thank you!

Several media outlets covered our plight!
Read all about it:

Boston Herald
Boston Globe
NBC 10 Boston
Hingham Anchor

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

The generosity continued Sunday as dozens of churches, organizations and individuals brought thousands of pounds of nonperishables, diapers and personal care items to Interfaith for our Fall Food Drive. The items collected at this annual drive help keep our food pantry shelves stocked through the next few months – the busiest time of year for our pantry.

We worried that the food drive would be significantly smaller this year, since many houses of worship and businesses are no longer meeting in person. But our community came through for us once again and we are ever so grateful.

THANK YOU

We hope you are able to relax a little this weekend and enjoy some time with those you are thankful for (even if it has to be virtual!). We cannot express how grateful we are for your support – this weekend, this year and always. We can’t provide our programs without all you and this community do for us.

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at Interfaith!

Thank you volunteers for putting in extra hours during this busy period!

Thank you Quincycles for organizing your annual Cranksgiving food donation!

Our shelves are replenished!

Weekly volunteer shifts are open now in our Food Pantry and Thrift Shop!

All volunteers must be able to commit to one 3-hour volunteer shift per week and be 16 years of age or older.

Food Pantry Volunteering

If you can commit to a weekly shift in our food pantry, please fill out this questionnaire. PLEASE NOTE: This form is to collect info only. If you are selected to fill one of our shifts, we will reach out to you.

One of Greater Boston’s largest food pantries, Interfaith Social Services’ Pantry Shelf has been providing emergency food to families and individuals since 1975. Last year volunteers distributed more than 800,000 pounds of food to hungry families.

Food Pantry job descriptions and responsibilities:

Morning Pantry shift (9:15am – 12:30pm):
A crew of 9 pantry volunteers are tasked with checking in clients outside while clients stay in their cars, bagging groceries and bringing groceries out to clients’ cars.

Afternoon Pantry inventory shift (noon-3pm):
A crew of 4-5 inventory volunteers are tasked with unloading our food pick-up truck, re-stocking pantry shelves, fridges and freezers and maintaining general cleanliness of pantry. Heavy lifting is required.

Take our Food Pantry Volunteer Recruitment Questionnaire

Thrift Shop Volunteering

If you can commit to a weekly shift in our shop, please fill out this questionnaire. PLEASE NOTE: This form is to collect info only. If you are selected to fill one of our shifts, we will reach out to you.

Our Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop is an important fundraising source for Interfaith. It is our second largest fundraiser, typically bringing in more than $100,000 per year to support our food pantry, mental health counseling center and homelessness prevention program.

Thrift Shop job descriptions and responsibilities:

Morning Shop inventory shift (10am – noon):
A crew of 3 volunteers will organize the shop, moving inventory from the sorting room to be put on the racks and shelves in order to get the shop ready for opening at 12:30. This crew will also be accepting incoming shop donations and helping to sort and organize as needed. Heavy lifting is required.

Afternoon Shop shift (12:15pm – 3:30pm):
A crew of 3 volunteers will staff the shop. One volunteer will be assigned to standing at the front entrance greeting customers and ensure that there are only 5 shoppers at a time in the store (these are the current COVID19 safety guidelines). One volunteer will assume the role of cashier, processing sale transactions with our customers. One volunteer will oversee the checkout line, be back-up to the cashier and help with accepting and sorting donations as needed.

Take our Thrift Shop Volunteer Recruitment Questionnaire

Interfaith’s volunteers are not only the heart and soul of our organization, they are our superheroes!

We are getting excited about reopening our Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop!! The Shop is an important funding source for Interfaith. It is our second largest fundraiser, bringing in more than $100,000 per year to support our food pantry, mental health counseling center and homelessness prevention program. Because of the pandemic we had to close shop on March 16. However, Governor Baker has now given the green light for retail to reopen, which includes the Shop. 

We are reopening SOON. That means we need volunteers! The Shop is 100% volunteer run, and without those positions filled, we are unable to open our doors.

We are looking for people who can commit to a regular, weekly volunteer shift. If you can commit, please read the job descriptions below and then click the link below to fill in your first and last name in the weekly slot that works for your schedule.

See below for job descriptions for each shift. THANK YOU!

 SIGN UP HERE FOR A WEEKLY SHOP VOLUNTEER SHIFT: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepOhoWWMl5emcMd6Bn4mvptbqg9zxcBf4yD3FGRFI3i7b98A/viewform?usp=sf_link

Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop – Volunteer shifts and responsibilities

 Morning Shop Inventory shift (9:30am – 12:00pm Mon- Fri): A crew of 3 volunteers will organize the shop, move inventory from the sorting room, put it on the racks and shelves, and get the shop ready for the afternoon. They will get in-season inventory from under the stairs and put it on the racks. This crew of volunteers will not be interacting with the public, however a crew of food pantry volunteers will be in the building distributing food to clients at the same time.  You must have the ability to be on your feet for the duration of the shift, climb up and down stairs and be able to lift up to 30 lbs.

Afternoon Shop shift (12:15pm – 3:30pm Mon- Fri): A crew of 3 volunteers will staff the shop. One volunteer will stand at the front entrance greeting customers and ensure that there are only 5 shoppers at a time in the store. They will also pay attention to approximately how long a customer has been in the store. One volunteer will run the register. One volunteer will oversee the checkout line – queuing people up in the back stairway if needed as they wait to checkout. This person will also be available to help customers as needed. You must have the ability to be on your feet for the duration of the shift.

Late Afternoon Shop shift (3:30pm- 7:00pm on Tues): A crew of 3 volunteers will staff the shop for our late evening on Tuesdays. One volunteer will stand at the front entrance greeting customers and ensure that there are only 5 shoppers at a time in the store. They will also pay attention to approximately how long a customer has been in the store. One volunteer will run the register. One volunteer will oversee the checkout line – queuing people up in the back stairway if needed as they wait to checkout. This person will also be available to help customers as needed. You must have the ability to be on your feet for the duration of the shift

Questions about volunteering? Contact Paula Daniels at pdaniels@interfaithsocialservices.org.