South Shore Food Bank receives refrigerated van from Whole Foods Market to support food rescue and fresh pantry offerings

Weymouth, MA – The South Shore Food Bank (SSFB) today announced the donation of a refrigerated van from Whole Foods Market to support food rescue and distribution across the South Shore. The van will be available for shared use by South Shore hunger-relief organizations in the SSFB network.

The donation was awarded through Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, an initiative dedicated to expanding the capacity and capability of community-based organizations to move food from where it is available to where it is needed most. Now in its second year, Nourishing our Neighborhoods has awarded 31 vans to community organizations, advancing Whole Foods Market’s commitment to driving meaningful impact beyond its market walls.

“This van is a shining example of how we can work smarter, together,” said Denholm, Executive Director of SSFB. “By sharing resources and collaborating to meet the needs of our communities, we can leverage opportunities like this for maximum benefit. We are thrilled to add this van to our growing list of resources, thanks to the support and commitment from our friends at Whole Foods Market.”

“The pandemic has amplified the critical role that local organizations play in addressing food insecurity and supporting community health,” said Jean-Philippe Scioville, Senior In-Store and Local Marketing Specialist at Whole Foods Market. “We’re delighted to collaborate with the South Shore Food Bank to help them deliver on their mission of granting the community greater access to healthy foods, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in the years to come.”

The donated 2021 Dodge Promaster 1500 is a high-roof cargo van outfitted by Whole Foods Market, enabling recipient organizations to rescue 20,000 pounds of food per week. The van creates a sustainable way to meet the needs of local pantries in the region, while also reducing food waste.

Food rescue poses a challenge for many pantries due to uncertainties in the temperature chain between pickup and distribution, as well as the ad hoc availability of perishable food from local grocers and retailers. As a shared resource, the new SSFB van will allow pantries of all sizes to rescue fresh and prepared food and increase their healthy food offerings. Participating pantries will have the option to store rescued food at the SSFB, as needed. 

According to the Greater Boston Food Bank, Massachusetts saw the greatest percentage increase in food insecurity in the country in 2020, with a 47% increase over 2019. Based on projections from Feeding America, one in 10 individuals in Eastern Massachusetts were expected to remain food insecure through 2021. The current rise in food costs and fuel costs, as well as the end to boosted federal nutrition and economic benefits are anticipated to continue to impact food insecurity.

“Sharing capital resources like this van, especially for the rescue and distribution of healthy food, is exactly what the South Shore Food Bank was created to do – to help pantries get more food to where it’s needed most,” said Nicholas Bulens, Chair of the Weymouth Food Pantry Board of Directors. “Thanks to this donation by Whole Foods Market, we have another powerful tool to strengthen our region’s food security infrastructure.”