The Salem Pantry Inc

THE MISSION OF THE SALEM PANTRY IS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO EMPOWER DIVERSE LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES BY ENSURING THE ESSENTIAL RIGHT TO CONVENIENT AND RELIABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD.

THE SALEM PANTRY (TSP) MISSION IS TO "WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO EMPOWER OUR DIVERSE LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITIES BY ENSURING THE ESSENTIAL RIGHT TO CONVENIENT AND RELIABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD."TSP WAS FOUNDED IN 1991 AS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH FOOD. PRIOR TO 2020, THE ORGANIZATION OPERATED TWO CORE PROGRAMS, THE BACKPACK PROGRAM AND A SMALL MOBILE MARKET POP-UP PROGRAM. IN LATE 2019, TSP HIRED ITS FIRST FULL TIME STAFF MEMBER, AN OPERATIONS MANAGER. AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS HIRED SOON AFTER, IN EARLY 2020. IN MARCH 2020, WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN, TSP ENGAGED IN A PERIOD OF RAPID GROWTH AS THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE GREW IN SALEM. TO MEET THIS NEED, TSP INVESTED IN ITS FIRST LARGE SCALE CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURED KEY FUNDING FROM THE GREAT BOSTON FOOD BANK, BRACE COVE FOUNDATION, AND THE MA FOOD SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM TO BUILD A FOOD STORAGE WAREHOUSE AND PURCHASE DELIVERY VEHICLES.THESE ADDITIONS ALLOWED TSP TO EXPAND ITS PROGRAMMING CAPACITY AND REACH TO ALIGN WITH THE COMMUNITY NEED IN SALEM AND TO SUPPORT PARTNERS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE NORTH SHORE.TODAY TSP OPERATES MULTIPLE PROGRAMS - PUBLIC MOBILE MARKETS, HOME DELIVERIES AND PROVIDES BULK FOOD ACCESS TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION SERVES AS A DISTRIBUTION CENTER, PROVIDING EASIER FOOD ACCESS FOR OTHER HUNGER-RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NORTH SHORE. TSP HAS DISTRIBUTED 2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO MORE THAN 4,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND 12,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS(WITH 1 IN 3 RECIPIENTS BEING CHILDREN) THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC STILL LINGERING, TSP NOW HAS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO BE WELL-POSITIONED TO RESPOND TO FUTURE EMERGENCIES.WHILE DEMAND FOR OUR SERVICES REMAINS HIGH, TSP AIMS TO MAKE SERVICES MORE INCLUSIVE AND AVAILABLE TO THE SALEM AND NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY WITH THE ADDITION OF A NEW BRICK-AND-MORTAR STOREFRONT PANTRY LOCATION. THE STOREFRONT AIMS TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS THAT OFTEN PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ACCESSING FOOD PANTRIES AND WILL PROVIDE AN ABUNDANT, HEALTHY SELECTION OF FOOD TO ASSIST IN DECREASING CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES. A TYPICAL PANTRY GUEST WILL BE ABLE TO CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF FRESH PRODUCE, FROZEN PROTEINS, DRY GOODS, EGGS AND DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND LOCAL BREAD. ADDITIONALLY, TSP IS PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS AND NUTRITION CONSULTANTS TO ESTABLISH A FOOD IS MEDICINE PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO PROVIDE TAILORED FOOD OPTIONS FOR A VULNERABLE POPULATION TO MANAGE, TREAT, OR DECREASE CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS.AS IT MOVES INTO THIS NEW ERA FOR TSP, THEIR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THREE-YEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES LEAD THE ORGANIZATION'S DIRECTION.TSP'S GUIDING PRINCIPLES:1. WE BELIEVE THAT OUR SERVICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO NEED THEM AND WILL WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE IN NEED, AS WELL AS THE BROADER COMMUNITY, SEE US AS AN ABUNDANT AND RELIABLE SOURCE OF HEALTHY FOOD.2. WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND THAT HEALTHY DIETS PROMOTE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING.3. WE BELIEVE THAT THE FOOD AND SERVICES WE OFFER SHOULD REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY'S CULTURAL, ETHNIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIVERSITY, INCLUDING ITS DIVERSE HEALTH AND CULINARY NEEDS; AND WE COMMIT THAT THIS DIVERSITY WILL ALSO BE REFLECTED IN OUR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND BOARD.4. WE BELIEVE THAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND REGION TO BE MORE FOOD SECURE WE NEED TO ACTIVELY WORK WITH LOCAL FARMERS, FOOD PRODUCERS, AND FOOD DISTRIBUTORS.5. WE BELIEVE THAT PARTNERSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL TO FULFILLING OUR MISSION AND THAT WE BECOME STRONGER BY INNOVATING AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO BETTER ADDRESS LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SECURITY NEEDS.6. WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE DATA DRIVEN AND CONTINUALLY EVOLVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUILD COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND SUPPORT, ENGAGE IN ADVOCACY, AND STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS.7. WE BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE A SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION AND ENTRUSTED WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.8. WE BELIEVE THAT FOOD IS CENTRAL TO CULTURE AND COMMUNITY AND THAT GROWING, PREPARING, AND SHARING FOOD TOGETHER STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY BONDS.9. WE BELIEVE THAT THE ROOT CAUSES OF INEQUITY MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE HUNGER IN OUR SOCIETY AND THAT ADDRESSING AND REMOVING FUNDAMENTAL INEQUITIES AND INJUSTICES WILL REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY AND OTHER RELATED SUFFERING.TSP'S THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC GOALS:1. DESIGN, IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN INCLUSIVE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEIGHBORS2. FOCUS ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND PRIORITIZE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FOOD THAT IS NUTRITIOUS, SENSITIVE TO DIET AND CULTURALLY ALIGNED3. BUILD AND STRENGTHEN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET BOTH THE URGENT AND CHRONIC NEED FOR FOOD4. INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND ADVOCATE FOR POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FOOD SECURITY IN SALEM AND THE GREATER NORTH SHORE.