2 October

Cambridge Food Pantry Weekend Support: Preparing For The Thanksgiving Takeaway (And Tomorrow)

by Jon Katz

I’m happy to support this Thanksgiving Takeaway. The Pantry has done this for years, and many people depend on it for Thanksgiving. It means a lot to the children and their families. This is shaping up to be the hardest year in a long time; Thanksgiving is a shining star.

This is the first step toward a real Thanksgiving for people who struggle every day to feed their families. We expect bigger lines than ever.

Watching their suffering is tough on all of us. It seems the worst is yet to come. But we are blessed to be able to help. Today, Sarah reports that these items are beginning to come in, but we won’t know for sure for another day or two, and we’ll need them more than once.

To get on the weekend support blog, the Wish List has to be out of food and have empty shelves.

(Above photo: Sue, Barbara, Marylyn, Maria. Stackers)

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Here are Sarah’s weekend requests.

Amazon Grocery, Cut Green Beans, $0.53.

The Pantry also needs help with these foods:

Amazon Grocery Turkey Flavor Stuffing Mix, $.92.

Cream of Mushroom Soup, .070.

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She has also added items to the Wish List below; we’ll present them step by step and regularly. The items below are needed for the Thanksgiving Takeaway.

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Amazon Grocery Jellied Cranberry Sauce, $1.55.

Turkey Gravy, $1.77.

Wish-bone Creamy Italian Salad Dressing, $3.80.

Betty Crocker Bisquick Cheese Garlic Biscuit Mix, 9 Pack, $11,49.

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Lance and Makayla unloading boxes from the food bank.

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The average price of diesel oil at the pump in New York State is approximately $6.52 per gallon today, October 2, 2026,

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The Thanksgiving Giveaway takes place a week before the holiday. It includes a turkey and all the traditional fixings for dinner.

Pantry volunteers pack up bags to hand out in the evening. Cars line up as far as the eye can see; the bags go quickly.

This year, a farmer – Alexander Warshal from Eagle Bridge – grows potatoes for this event. Pantry volunteers wash them at the nearby Comfort Food Community, then store them at a different farm, Alleged Farm in Easton. This is an almost sacred community event.

The Pantry families are struggling with tariffs, diesel, electricity costs, and other problems like food prices. I asked Sarah if she was planning the Giveaway this year, and she said Of course. But they can use all the help we can offer. Sarah is a genius at finding bargains and low prices; she is starting the Giveaway plans by asking for Green Beans’ support – 53 cents for a can of green beans –  and listing other things they will need. This has always been a cherished community activity, and we are now part of the community; I’m proud to say so. She needs the beans for the Pantry now, as well as for Thanksgiving. None of today’s requests cost more than one dollar.

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Frank, a Pantry champion, truck driver, and handyman.

1 Comments

  1. potatoes/yes it is a sacred event/I felt it when reading your description of this event
    love to Jon/Maria and all creatures

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