By Ursula Nowak
A friend and I used the break in the rain a couple of days ago and headed out into the wonderfully wet woods. As we were walking, we brainstormed about questions people might have about the work of St. Vincent de Paul and the food pantry. Here are some we came up with:
Is there need in a town like Lincoln?
Yes, there is — it’s just more hidden than in other towns. The Greater Boston Food Bank estimates that 580 food-insecure individuals live in our town.
Who comes to you for help?
People whose income is not enough to cover their basic needs, and individuals or families facing sudden hardship, like job loss, illness, or unexpected large expenses like car repairs.
How do you help?
SVdP offers three programs to our neighbors in need:
- Food Pantry: We offer shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen items, bread, vegetables, toiletries, and cleaning supplies.
- Financial Emergency Assistance: We have made payments for rents, utility bills, car repairs, medical bills, and other necessary expenses.
- Scholarship Program: The services mentioned above help clients stabilize their situation. Our scholarship program for adults for career advancement empowers our neighbors to build a better life.
How much has the need increased in recent years?
- The need in our community continues to increase year over year. From 2019–2023, the number of food pantry clients more than doubled. In 2023 we served 417 neighbors. Our clients include people who live, work, or go to school in Lincoln and Weston, with 65% of households in Lincoln.
- Our yearly cost for food have risen fivefold from $18,000 in 2020 to $90,000 in 2023.
- Our expenses for financial emergency assistance have nearly doubled within the last two years. In 2023, $111,000 was granted to our neighbors in need.
Do you have paid staff?
No — SVdP is an all-volunteer organization with 18 board members and approximately 50 volunteers. Because we don’t have to pay salaries, donations can directly benefit our neighbors. The varied life experiences and professional backgrounds of our members and volunteers help us stay a dynamic organization. Volunteers provide most of the services we need. Chris Knollmeyer here in Lincoln oversaw the construction of our pantry in 2018, and a professor and student at Framingham State University created our website. Instead of a paid food pantry manager, two amazing women lead the operation and split responsibilities up among many volunteers.
Do you have any success stories?
Yes! Here are a couple:
- A restaurant worker broke her ankle and had no access to sick pay. Our rent payments helped her through this difficult time, and she is now self-sufficient again.
- A single mother took a two-year medical technician course, graduated with straight As and does not need our support anymore.
- A senior got help with a rent payment. She is a regular pantry client and can make ends meet now.
How can I help?
- We are always in need of food donations. They can be dropped off at the back porch of 142 Lincoln Rd. behind St. Joseph Church.
- We’re also looking for people to organize neighborhood food dives (see “News Acorns,” March 4, 2024).
- You probably received a recent letter about Spring Fundraiser. The Codman Trust has generously offered a matching grant for up to $20,000 for all donations we receive till the end of March. Please help us reach this goal; respond to the letter or donate here. We are grateful for the amazing support the Lincoln community has given us!
Nowak is president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.
SVdP does a great job. I highly recommend them.