On Saturday, November 22, 2025 upwards of 500 guests lined up outside the Elizabeth Peabody House (EPH) despite a cold, wet, drizzle. Inside, more than a dozen volunteers helped stack bulk food, pack grocery bags, and prepare for doors to open.
Every year, the EPH provides Thanksgiving turkeys for households struggling to afford food. However, Thanksgiving turkeys are just one small example of how the EPH food pantry supports community members. Last year, the food pantry provided groceries for more than 1,400 households. The pantry is open three days a week for food pick-up and also:
- Supplies food for an open-access community fridge
- Offers pop-up hours at subsidized housing locations
- Delivers groceries to elderly and disabled community members, and
- Helps eligible guests apply for SNAP benefits.
This fall, community need for food has been higher than ever in the wake of a temporary halt in SNAP benefits. Food pantry guest, Kassie, explained how the Food Access Program has helped her family. “I wouldn’t be eating as much as I do,” she shared. “With what’s going on, I’m having anxiety.” For families like Kassie’s, the pantry and community fridge provide not only food but also reassurance, stability, and a sense of support.
The EPH food pantry recorded a 20% increase in traffic the week after the SNAP announcement. “We’re really just here to serve the need for the community and fill that food gap for people,” EPH Executive Director, Matthew Caughey shared during an interview with The Somerville Times. Food Access Program Director, Thomas Boucher echoed his sentiments during an interview with WCVB5 News, adding, “a lot of people have donated, which is very helpful.”
Not including in-kind gifts, EPH received nearly $32,000 in donations to the food pantry in October and November. Almost 50 community members contacted us to ask about volunteer opportunities. To everyone who has donated, volunteered, or offered support, thank you. Your generosity is making a real and immediate difference in the lives of the people who turn to us for help. Every contribution, whether food, funds, or time, allows us to continue providing nourishing food to our community.
This collective mobilization is what allows us to act with speed, compassion, and impact. As the holiday season brings more focus on access to food, our community and EPH stand ready to respond.
If you would like to make a holiday gift to Elizabeth Peabody House please visit our donation page or text HOLIDAY2025 to (617) 500-1101.
If you are interested in volunteering at EPH, please fill out our interest form at: https://www.teph.org/volunteer-opportunities/
Together, we can make sure that everyone in our community has enough to eat.
