Food assistance program
Launched during some of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nourishing Newton, Watertown, Wellesley and Needham programs have delivered more than 16,000 meals from more than 50 independent restaurants to residents facing food insecurity.
In Newton and Wellesley the program is funded thanks to state grant dollars secured by Sen. Cindy Creem. And, thanks to private donations and sponsorship by Tripadvisor, the program was expanded to Watertown and Needham.
In 2024, the Rotary Club of Newton and the Charles River Chamber are teaming up to facilitate round four of Nourishing Newton.
"I am thrilled our food assistance program will continue to operate and provide much needed relief to local households and the restaurant community in Newton," said Sen. Creem. "This program not only lifts up our restaurants during this tremendously difficult period, but also provides critical food assistance to our those in need."
$50,000 in grant dollars will be used to purchase individual meals from independently owned-operated restaurants within the city and then distributed via the Newton Food Pantry, Centre Street Food Pantry, Welcome Home, Arabic Baptist Church, the Newton Senior Center, the West Suburban YMCA and other community organizations.
"Providing meals from restaurants, enables those who struggle with food insecurity to enjoy the simple pleasure of eating delicious food from a restaurant in their community - something they would not have the resources to do without this program," said Regina Wu, MD, president of the Newton Food Pantry.
