Centre Street Food Pantry is open to residents of Newton, Brookline, Needham, Waltham, Watertown, and Wellesley. New clients are welcome — you don't need to pre-register before your first visit. The pantry is open to anyone in need of food regardless of income. Since Centre Street is a USDA distribution agency, they'll ask whether you meet USDA income guidelines, but that doesn't affect whether you can receive food.
On Tuesdays after 2 PM, an appointment is required. You can sign up online before your visit.
At your first visit, bring one document issued within the last four months that shows your name and current address. Accepted documents include a car registration, rent receipt, tax or credit card bill, health insurance bill, or a utility, cell-phone, or cable bill.
You may visit once per month.
Plan to wait 15 to 30 minutes until you turn the corner onto Furber Lane. Once you're there, the team assembles your groceries in just a few minutes. After you've registered and visited regularly, Centre Street creates a membership card with your name and a barcode to scan at check-in. Bring this card every time you visit.
Every visit includes groceries scaled to your household size: a non-perishable bag with shelf-stable foods like rice, pasta, beans, grains, canned sauces, canned fruits, and canned vegetables; a bag of seasonal fresh produce (fresh produce makes up one-third of everything the pantry distributes); and a cold order with milk, cheese, butter or margarine, yogurt, eggs, and frozen proteins. Sliced bread is included too. The pantry always has options for vegetarians, people eating gluten-free, and those looking for dairy-free or soy-based products.
All families with children receive an extra Kids Club bag with additional breakfast and lunch items. During the summer, the Kids Club bag includes fresh lunch foods such as milk, deli meats, cheese, rolls, yogurt, and fruit. In the month of each child's birthday, families also get a Birthday bag with cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, and candles.
Personal care products are typically available as well, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, bathroom tissue, laundry detergent, and household cleaning supplies. Feminine sanitary pads, adult incontinence products, and diapers and baby wipes are also available.
Centre Street runs a curbside pickup model. The pantry is at 11 Homer Street in Newton Centre, in the side annex of Trinity Episcopal Church on Furber Lane. If you drive, line up your car on Homer Street and volunteers will bring your groceries out to you. If you walk, bike, or take public transit, wait on Furber Lane.
The pantry is accessible from the Newton Centre MBTA Green Line stop or the 52 bus. If you're eligible, you can also arrange a ride through Newton in Motion (NewMo) or The Ride.
You can donate online via PayPal, or mail a check made out to "Centre Street Food Pantry" to 11 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459. You can also shop and donate groceries online, give a gift of stock, or donate through a donor advised fund. Donations of personal care products are welcome too. Email info@centrestfoodpantry.org with any questions.
Centre Street runs on volunteers every Tuesday (10 AM to 6 PM) and on the third Saturday of each month (9 AM to 2 PM). Jobs include checking in clients, packing grocery bags, helping unload food bank trucks, setting up for service days, packing produce and cold orders, bringing food out to cars, and translating for Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, or Russian speakers. Shifts are typically two hours, and the pantry asks that you volunteer at least twice a month.
To sign up, fill out the volunteer interest form. For questions, email Liz Benjamin, the client and volunteer coordinator.
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