To the Editor,
From humble beginnings as a small food pantry, Beverly Bootstraps has grown into a leading social service agency on the North Shore. Last year, we celebrated 30 years of community support. With the generous support of our donors, volunteers, and the community, we now offer a diverse food assistance program, client support services, adult education, youth and adult programs, and a Thrift Shop. What began as a small Food Pantry in the basement of a church has become a cornerstone of community support.
In 2022, we saw our Food Pantry visits reach an all-time high, with nearly 13,000 visits over the year. To acknowledge the noticeable need in the community for expanded Food Pantry access, we broadened our schedule to accommodate weekly visits for all clients. With rampant inflation over the last year, a possible looming recession, and the recently announced end of SNAP Emergency Allotments, that number will likely only grow.
As we strive to meet the demands for food assistance, Beverly Bootstraps, with the help of the Greater Boston Food Bank and other private funding sources, purchased and installed Automated Refrigerated Food Lockers. These lockers will provide an innovative way to fight food insecurity in our area, especially for individuals and families who find it difficult to visit our Food Pantry during its service hours. Implementing this model will augment our food assistance program as it marks a continued effort by Beverly Bootstraps to make food access more convenient and private for anyone in need.
When we celebrated our 30th Anniversary in September 2022, our community came together, reminding us of the importance of working as one. Expanding our services through the years would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of our donors and volunteers, who have continuously gone above and beyond to assist their neighbors in need. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone who has donated to our cause, allowing us to continue to support those in need of our services.
As the need in the community continues to grow, so does our need for support. High costs of food, increasing rents, inflation, and rising utility prices have put a significant strain on the already tight budgets of many of our neighbors in need. Please consider donating today at give.beverlybootstraps.org, mailing a check, or dropping off non-perishable food items at 35 Park Street in Beverly to help those in need in our community.
Together, we will continue to help everyone who walks through our doors.
Gratefully,
Sue Gabriel, Executive Director and Chris Nazareth, Director of Development and External Affairs
