According to the organization Project Bread, one in every three homes in Massachusetts experience food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to sufficient food to maintain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. This issue does not exclude the town of Hingham, but generous members of the community are working to combat this issue through volunteering and donating to the Hingham Food Pantry.

The Hingham Food Pantry, founded in 1991, has made significant strides in positively impacting its community. When the pantry opened, the organization supported fourteen families in need, but now the pantry helps over 150 families experiencing food insecurity. During times of economic adversity, many families have been excluded from SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and thus rely on the Hingham Food Pantry. This government-funded program has dealt with severe budget cuts in the past years, leaving countless families’ needs unmet when it comes to their nutrition. Without government benefits, families who once relied on them for a stable and nutritional diet are suddenly abandoned. 

Martin Seggev, a sophomore at Hingham High School, shared his views on how food insecurity affects people and families, stating that, ”Food insecurity affects all parts of people’s lives because when they are worried about where their next meal is coming from, they can’t spend their time and energy on other things.” Thankfully, the Hingham Food Pantry and its volunteers have compensated in order to fill that void and continue helping families, the number of which seem to grow every year.

Currently, the food pantry is operating out of four sites in Hingham, including locations at Stop & Shop (Lincoln Plaza), Jack Conway (321 Main Street), Coldwell Banker (56 South Street), and Gibson Sotheby’s (15 Shipyard Drive). These drop-off locations all funnel to the South Parish Church (685 Main Street) where an estimated 100 Hingham Food Pantry volunteers help in stocking and organizing shelves.

Rex Chen, a sophomore at Hingham High School, reflected on the importance of volunteering and donating to food banks. He stated, “Donating time and resources to the food pantry is important because it helps neighbors ensure that people in need have access to nutritious food while also strengthening community bonds.” 

There are two main ways that you can help support the Hingham Food Pantry. 

1) You can donate food by dropping it off at one of the four sites listed above. Oftentimes, the Hingham Food Pantry Facebook and Instagram accounts will post the items that they need the most. Adding those items to your grocery list for donations will go a long way for a family experiencing food insecurity in the community. 

2) The second way that you can help support the pantry is by volunteering your time. Tasks such as stocking shelves and sorting donations are crucial in making their operation run smoothly. According to the executive director of the organization, Susan Kiernan, the pantry is presently well-staffed but will be welcoming summer volunteers. The Hingham Food Pantry is a great place to volunteer and earn community service hours because you are genuinely making a positive impact on those in your community.