South Shore Food Bank to connect business, food pantry leaders

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Weymouth/Rockland Food Pantry staff member Steve Manupelli, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, sorts food collected by United States Postal Service letter carriers in Weymouth.

ROCKLAND – The South Shore Food Bank has launched a new initiative to connect local business and food pantry leaders in a skills sharing program.

Ten leaders from food pantries across the South Shore will meet monthly with business owners to share information on topics such as board leadership, fundraising and marketing strategies.

The South Shore Food Bank is a regional food bank for pickup and storage of deliveries, and serves as the hub for food distribution between the Greater Boston Food Bank and roughly 18 pantries on the South Shore.

Sister Thomas and Sister Sorenson from the Church of Latter Day Saints, in Hingham, bag fresh produce for clients at the Weymouth/Rockland Food Pantry in Weymouth on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

The Weymouth Food Pantry launched the organization last year and opened a new warehouse that offers storage capacity for up to 600,000 pounds of perishable and nonperishable food for pantries across the South Shore.

“Independent, grassroots organizations play a vital role in addressing food security and

health outcomes of residents in the region,” Pamela Denholm, executive director of South Shore Food Bank, said in a statement. “We hope to support community leaders as they rise to meet the ever changing challenges around food security and food equity in our communities.”

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Food pantries across the region have reported, on average, a 113% increase in

clients since the start of the pandemic and they continue to see elevated levels of need.

On the South Shore, Denholm said this can mostly be attributed to increased cost of groceries, higher gas prices and shortages in housing.

Through the leadership program, the South Shore Food Bank hopes to strengthen the

network of food security organizations and build skills necessary for success.

The regional organization has pursued other projects to improve food distribution. Earlier this year, South Shore Food Bank received a refrigerated van through Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program.

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