Press Release: GBFB Grant

Open Table Receives Grant from Greater Boston Food Bank

Community Investment Grant supports enhanced community outreach

Concord and Maynard, MA (July 5, 2024) – Open Table, the MetroWest charity dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities, today announced that it has received a generous Community Investment Grant from the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). The grant will support the hiring of a part-time DEI/Community Outreach Coordinator, helping to bridge the language gap, particularly with the various immigrant communities that Open Table serves, and more effectively reach potential clients with culturally appropriate messaging.

“GBFB’s network of dedicated agency partners continue to inspire us to be innovative in our efforts to address food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO at GBFB. “With sustained inequities in food access across our region, we aim to continue to invest in those communities facing a heightened need for food and drive progress towards hunger relief through strategic grantmaking to our network of agency partners. As the cost of living in our region continues to rise, we look forward to seeing how these funds bolster Open Table’s ability to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in the 21 towns they serve in central Middlesex County.”

This grant coincides with GBFB’s fourth annual report on food insecurity, equity and access in Massachusetts. The 2024 study, “Opportunities to Improve Food Equity & Access in Massachusetts,” reveals consistently high rates of food insecurity in the state and sustained disparities in food access for communities of color and households with children. “Funding from the GBFB will give Open Table the opportunity to more deeply connect with our non- or limited English speaking clients, and improve the programs and services we offer,” said Open Table Executive director, Alex DePalo. “It will build our capacity to translate materials and communicate directly with clients and community members so that we can more fully understand and respond to their food needs.”

More information about GBFB’s 2024 Community Investment Grants is available at https://www.gbfb.org/news/press-releases/gbfb-awards-920000-in-community-investment-grants/

About The Greater Boston Food Bank

The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and one of the largest food banks in the country. For nearly half a century, GBFB has fueled Eastern Massachusetts’ hunger-relief system, putting nearly 90 million healthy meals on tables across the region each year. Over 600 community-based pantries and other local partners in 190 cities and towns depend on GBFB to provide access to healthy food for 600,000 people every month. GBFB is committed to the belief that access to healthy food is a human right regardless of an individual’s circumstances. Through policy, partnerships, and providing free, nutritious, and culturally responsive food, GBFB is committed to addressing the root causes of food insecurity while promoting racial, gender and economic equity in food access. Together, we have the power to end hunger here. For more information, visit GBFB.org

About Open Table

Open Table is a 501(c)(3) established in 1989. Its mission is to address hunger in the local community by providing healthy food in a welcoming environment while respecting the dignity and diversity of those served. For more information, visit: https://www.opentable.org/

Media Contact:
Joan Geoghegan
[email protected]
978-371-3921