I’ve been collecting non-perishable food donations in an XL gray outdoor box outside of my Keller Williams office right next to Vincent’s Country Store since 2020, shortly after Covid began. The address for these donations is 107 Main Street in Westminster, and people continue, week after week (year after year!), to be so generous. There’s nothing political about my involvement, I just don’t want to see people be hungry if it’s something I can help with. I bring all the donations over to the Westminster Community Food Pantry on Thursdays.
We’re heading into a time of year where things get more expensive and more families make use of local food pantries. Some are families who are stretched thin and need to supplement with non-perishable items through food pantries and others have had benefits reduced or eliminated.
I set a personal goal to make sure I load up the Westminster Community Food Pantry with at least 500 items between Halloween and the end of the year through my collection box in front of my office.
On Halloween, while I was at my office setting up for trick or treaters and working on my food collection organization at the same time, a woman approached and asked me how long I’d be at the office–she came back again that afternoon with a very generous check for the Westminster Community Food Pantry. I love that.
I’ve assembled the list of local food pantries below. If you know of others that I missed or any suggested edits to the list, I’m happy to add them!
Clinton
Care Food Pantry at Saint John Guardian of Our Lady
St. John’s Gym, 149 Chestnut Street, Clinton
Thursday 4pm – 6PM
Facebook Page
Sharing is Caring Thrift Shop & Food Pantry
104 Sterling Street, Clinton
978-368-9990
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11am – 4pm
Wednesday 2pm – 6pm
Sunday 11am – 2pm
Wheat Community Connections
508-370-4943
272 High Street, Clinton
For Berlin, Bolton, Clinton, Lancaster, and Sterling residents
WHEAT Community Cupboard (Food Pantry)
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10:00am – 1:00pm
Wednesday 3:00pm – 6:00pm
WHEAT Community Café
Lunch: Monday through Friday from 12:30–1:30pm
Dinner: Monday through Friday from 5:00 – 6:00 pm
WHEAT Outdoor Marketplace
Tuesday through Friday. Bring your own bag.
Fitchburg
Highland Baptist Church Food Pantry
978-342-9646
19 Cedar Street, Fitchburg
Second Saturday of each month from 8am – 11am
Fourth Saturday of each month from 8am- 11am
Core service areas Fitchburg, Leominster and Lunenburg but will not turn away non-residents
Facebook Page
Our Father’s Table
978-345-6950
40 Boutelle Street, Fitchburg
Tuesday and Thursday 5pm – 5:35pm
Facebook Page
Salvation Army
739 Water Street
978-342-3300
Monday through Saturday 10am – 5pm
St. Vincent DePaul Society at St Joseph’s Church
978-345-7997
49 Woodland St, Fitchburg MA
Saturday 9am – 10:30am
Facebook Page
United Way of North Central MA
978-345-1577
649 John Fitch Highway, Fitchburg
Facebook Page
Gardner
Gardner Community Action Committee
978-632-8700
294 Pleasant Street, 2nd Floor, Gardner, MA
Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10am–1pm
Tuesday 4pm–5pm
Third Wednesday of each month for Seniors 60+ 9am-12pm, must apply
Recipients must reside in Gardner, Ashburnham, Hubbardston, or Westminster
Facebook Page
Gardner Visting Nurse Association
34 Pearly Lane, Gardner
978 632 1230
Wednesday 1pm – 3pm
Facebook Page
Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center
978-632-9601
268 Central Street Suite A, Gardner
Food box deliveries
Saint Vincent DePaul Food Pantry at Annunciation Parish
135 Nichols Street, Gardner
978-652-6408
Leominster
Catholic Charities Worcester County
978-840-0696
196 Mechanic Street, Leominster
Monday through Friday 8:30am – 4pm
First Baptist Church Community Food Cupboard
978-537-2685
23 West Street, Leominster
Every 2nd Saturday of each month from 9am – 11am
Ginny’s Helping Hands
978-537-1387
52 Mechanic Street, Leominster
Tuesday through Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday 9am – 4pm
Facebook Page
Serving Central Massachusetts
Our Lady of the Lake
978-342-2978 ext. 104
1400 Main Street, Leominster
Tuesday 10am – 1pm
Pilgrim Congregational Church
978-534-5164
26 West Street, Leominster
Wednesday 10am – 2pm
Ruth’s Harvest Food Pantry
978-537-1356
77 Hall Street, Leominster
Every 4th Saturday of each month (unless otherwise noted) from 8am – 10am
Serving Leominster, Fitchburg, Sterling, Lancaster and Lunenburg residents
Saint Vincent DePaul Food Pantry at Saint Leo Roman Catholic Church
978-786-7637
108 Main Street, Leominster
Monday 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Sign-up required
Spanish American Center Higgins Cochina
978-534-3145
112 Spruce Street, Leominster
Monday through Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Facebook Page
Lunenburg
Lunenburg Community Food Pantry
978-660-8074
1025 Massachusetts Ave, Lunenburg
Must register
Facebook Page
Rutland
Rutland Food Pantry
290 Main Street, Rutland
Facebook Page
Sterling
Wachusett Food Pantry
978-563-1064
50 Worcester Road, Sterling
Every third Saturday 9am – 11am and preceding Friday of the month
Serving Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, Sterling, or West Boylston
Templeton
Templeton Food Pantry
508-826-4258
16 Senior Drive, Baldwinville
Tuesday 9am – 12pm
Thursday 12pm – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm
Saturday 10am – 12pm
Facebook Page
West Boylston
West Boylston Food Pantry
774-312-8484
26 Central Street, West Boylston
Every third Tuesday 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Westminster
Westminster Community Food Pantry
First Congregational Church
138 Main Street, Westminster
Food delivered to Westminster Senior Center on Wednesday 12pm
Thursday at the church 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Serving Westminster
First Baptist Church Pantry
117 Main Street, Westminster, MA 01473
Open Thursdays 9:00am (people are welcome to attend prior to the pantry, at 8am for light refreshments)
Winchendon
Winchendon CAC Food Pantry
978-297-1667
273 Central Street Winchendon, MA
Wednesday through Friday 10am – 3pm
Saturday 10am -3pm
Hours by appointment
Must be a Winchendon resident
Here’s the donation spot at my office at 107 Main Street in Westminster.
FAQs
Where can I donate non-perishable food items?
Contact any one of the food pantries listed above and ask what their donation times and policies are. If you’re local to Westminster, you can drop your items in the collection box outside of my Keller Williams office at 107 Main Street in Westminster, next to Vincent’s Country Store. You can’t miss it–there’s an XL gray outdoor box right outside.
What kind of items are food pantries looking for?
Most food pantries collect non-perishable food items. Think canned goods (proteins like tuna and canned chicken), pasta, rice, cereal—anything that doesn’t need to be refrigerated and won’t expire quickly.
How long has this food collection been going on?
I’ve been collecting since 2020, shortly after Covid began. It’s amazing to see the continued generosity, week after week and year after year!
Which food pantry receives the donations?
I bring all the items over to the Westminster Community Food Pantry on Thursdays.
Why is this collection particularly important right now?
We’re heading into the time of year where things get more expensive, and more families—some just stretched thin, others dealing with reduced benefits—need to supplement with local food pantries.
Are monetary donations accepted, and who do they go to?
While the box is for non-perishable food, yes! A very generous person recently dropped off a check specifically for the Westminster Community Food Pantry, which is a great idea. I have a white wall-mounted secure drop box (you can see it in the photo above, to the right of the ice freezer).
Do you know of other local food pantries besides the one in Westminster?
Yes! My story includes a list of food pantries in Clinton, Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, Lunenburg, Rutland, Sterling, Templeton, West Boylston, and Winchendon.
I know of a local pantry that isn’t on your list. What should I do?
Please let me know! I’m happy to add them or make any suggested edits to the existing list to help spread the word. You can contact me at jennifershenk@kw.com
