Grant helps Damien’s Place expand food distribution

Damien’s Place Food Pantry received a more than $9,000 grant from the Greater Boston Food Bank to expand its ability to efficiently serve more people.

The grant is part of the Greater Boston Food Bank’s efforts to expand the emergency food network in the region in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

The grant will fund an expansion of the pantry’s physical location, and a lift-gate system to help volunteers load up trucks without having to lift goods up high.

Additionally, the funds will allow the pantry to go from one check-in station to three, with new iPads and software. The upgrade also includes a paging system that will allow clients to wait in their car until it is their turn — facilitating social distancing and limiting clients’ exposure to bad weather.

“The increased capacity funded through this investment will allow Damien’s to distribute two times as much food as it does today, increasing its capacity to allow clients to visit every other week or every week depending on household size,” said Jacqueline Arsenault, executive director of The Family Pantry, Damien’s Place. “This will substantially address the increased need for food within the communities served by Damien’s.”

Damien’s Place and the Greater Boston Food Bank are working together to help make sure people have the food they need.

“Since 2013, GBFB has committed to connecting resources aimed toward annual capacity-building investments in infrastructure projects that can really change an organization’s ability to serve their communities,” explained Catherine D’Amato, president, and CEO, GBFB. “We have increased our commitment this year and anticipate that these funds will help Damien’s ability to respond to the surge in need that we have all seen as a result of this pandemic.”