Belmont Helps joins Belmont Food Collaborative

June 28, 2021   |   Belmont, MA

The Belmont Food Collaborative and Belmont Helps are excited to announce that they have joined forces to work for food security in Belmont and surrounding communities.

In 2009, the Belmont Farmers' Market Committee created the Belmont Food Collaborative. The BFC brought together a group of volunteers with a passion for education about food and nutrition, food assistance, and local and sustainable farming. We work to enhance access to fresh and healthy produce for those in need through a variety of programs.

Today, we are excited to announce the addition of Belmont Helps to the BFC, joining the Belmont Farmers' Market, Belmont Composts! and a variety of food-education programs. Recognizing our shared goal of addressing food insecurity in our community, we realized that we could achieve even more by working together.

“Our food assistance programs provide families with fresh, local food during the farmers' market season, directly and through support of the Belmont Food Pantry,” said Suzanne Johannet, President of the BFC. “In a short time, Belmont Helps started a number of impressive programs that have been helping people year-round. We’re excited about the great work that will come from combining our groups of dedicated volunteers.”

 Formed in 2020, Belmont Helps quickly organized to help members of our community with an array of pandemic-related needs, including food assistance at home, a mask drive, ways to Brighten Belmont, and snack drives for the staff of Mt. Auburn Hospital. These programs also supported local businesses, which were hit hard by the pandemic.

 When Belmont Helps began to organize, the Winn Brook PTA proudly shepherded the volunteer committee for over a year as it grew to a charity that donated more than $45,000 to community members in need. “We could not be more grateful for the contributions of Winn Brook’s PTA in helping us fundraise and get off the ground quickly and impactfully,” said Amy Kirsch, co-founder of Belmont Helps. “We are thrilled that the BFC wants what started as a temporary mutual aid organization to be a long-lasting source of help for those facing food insecurity. We are proud to forge a stronger partnership to assist those in need with volunteer help and funds.” You can make a donation to support Belmont Helps.

 Find opportunities to volunteer, donate, get help and stay involved in Belmont’s community at BelmontHelps.org, BelmontFood.org, and BelmontFarmersMarket.org.

Follow us on social media: Belmont Helps Facebook Group, Belmont Farmers' Market Facebook, Belmont Farmers' Market Instagram, and Belmont Farmers' Market Twitter.

 About Belmont Food Collaborative
The Belmont Food Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) corporation that includes the Belmont Farmers' Market, Belmont Composts!, food education programs, and now, Belmont Helps. BFC began matching SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps) at the Market in 2011 through a state grant. Fundraising allowed the addition of other forms of food assistance, which grew to over $11,000 in matching funds in the 2020 farmers’ market season. BFC has also underwritten the Boston Area Gleaners in delivering more than 20 tons of fresh, local produce to the Belmont Food Pantry, along with BFC’s own donations of fresh eggs from a local farm for pantry recipients. See BelmontFood.org, BelmontFarmersMarket.org, and BelmontComposts.org for details.

 About Belmont Helps
Belmont Helps, a project of the Belmont Food Collaborative, is a 100% volunteer organization founded on March 14, 2020 to connect Belmont area community members in need to local volunteers, food stability, and resources.  Find more information at BelmontHelps.org.  Contact BelmontHelps@gmail.com or leave a message at (617) 993-0162 for a call back from a team member.