Empty Shelter foods for tonight from Sarah: “I was able to take 7 items off the list, thanks to the Army of Good! We couldn’t be doing this without you.”
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This weekend’s items request (all are out):
Hamburger Helper Double Cheeseburger Macaroni Pasta Meal (Pack), $19.13.
Pasta Roni Shells & White Cheddar Mix (Pack of 12), $13.92.
Knorr Pasta Sides 12 Count Cheddar Broccoli, 7-minute prep, $13.56.
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Photo above. Sara, a volunteer, checking the milk supply.
Note: this is the weekend Pantry request for today and tomorrow, July 26, 2026. Thanks for your support.
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I was asked if I could volunteer for Cambrige Pantry today.
I said sure (photo below), and I was assigned the job of caring for the cooler and making sure the visitors knew what was in it and how much they could take.
This was a powerful experience- moving, disturbing, reinforcing the work we do. I met the struggling elderly, families with no health care, college graduates with no jobs, mothers with no husbands and children to care for, government employees tossed out into the street. Being hungry and unable to pay for food was hard for them to believe, hard for me to see.
People who were angry, people who seemed broken and hopeless, people refusing to complain or whine. These people were very much like me- middle-class people, dedicated but help mothers, many of whom were fired from good jobs they did well. People who were shocked, loyal to their children, hopeless, determined, grateful for the Food Pantry and for the Army of Good, which almost all of them had heard about.
Words I heard more than once: “We are no longer able to afford to live in this country, and we can’t afford to move. I really can’t imagine what we would do without the Pantry.”
In helping this Pantry, we are doing the right thing, a desperately needed thing, a sacred thing. Thank you; I have never felt better about the work we are doing than I did this morning.
J was tossed out of his government job for no explained reason; he has three big sons to feed. I wanted to cry. I gave him a hug instead.
It is a gift to be able to help these people. Sarah is a Saint along with her dedicated volunteers.
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Here are the weekend items Sarah is asking for help with once more. All three are out. The food bank doesn’t have any more to supply:
Hamburger Helper Double Cheeseburger Macaroni Pasta Meal (Pack), $19.13.
Pasta Roni Shells & White Cheddar Mix (Pack of 12), $13.92.
Knorr Pasta Sides 12 Count Cheddar Broccoli, 7-minute prep, $13.56.
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Surprise!
Me. A new backup volunteer to help out, this time supervising a cooler filled with some fish and sandwiches. I was thrilled to help out, and yes, I got tired. I hope I can help regularly and often.
The other volunteers get tired all the time but never quit. Seeing the people we are trying to help, talking to them, and listening to them was one of the most valuable experiences of my life, and also one of the saddest. Lots of people are hurting in this country.
I am bowed to those who wish to help.
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The Pantry needs more help than ever. We can help the Pantry at any time, especially these days, by browsing the Amazon Cambridge Pantry Food Wish List, which is continuously updated. Everything on the list is urgently needed. You can access the Food List anytime by clicking any link here or by the green button at the bottom of every blog post.
Some people regularly buy particular items they see on the wish list. Their support is being steadily cut. Your help makes an enormous difference; you are very much appreciated. We give what no one else can. We do what is requested by those who need it. We won’t abandon them or let them down. Just as they work hard to keep their visitors’ spirits up, we can do the same thing. We did it last week for sure. “Somebody’s got our back,” said one of the Vantry Volunteers, “bless them, bless them.”
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The Cambridge Pantry is a community all its own. There is so much local support.
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Margaret with a box of zucchini from local gardens.
I love the idea of you volunteering directly with the patrons of the Pantry…. I sense you are a very good listener and you have empathy (I am sure of it!)….. I can’t think of a better person to greet and meet the families/ people when they come to the Pantry.
Susan M
Thanks Susan, it was a powerful experience and I felt even closer to what we are trying to do….these people are good people who desperately need help..I am proud of trying to do it. Thanks for understanding that..