Harvest on Vine
The Catholic Preference for the Poor
The Preferential Option for the Poor calls Catholics to prioritize the needs of the marginalized in society. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states the following: ‘A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our
tradition instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.’
Boston Archbishop Richard Henning highlights the importance of practicing the
Corporal Works of Mercy to live out Christian faith.
Charlestown Catholic Collaborative embodies these directives. Led by Fr. Sheridan, the parish has weaved together four ministries that form a safety net of care for the least of our brothers and sisters. The ministries include Harvest on Vine, the St. Vincent De Paul Society, the Boyce Community Kitchen, and the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP brings the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius to the homeless, the recently homeless, and to people struggling with addiction.)
The following example shows how the ministries work together. A family moved into an apartment from a homeless shelter without any furniture. They had no food. They didn’t know anyone in the neighborhood. The family attended a gathering at the Boyce Community Kitchen, where they met members of the St. Vincent De Paul Society. St. Vincent De Paul provided beds, bedding, kitchenware, a couch, and a chair. The family then registered at Harvest on Vine to get food twice a month. Additionally, a formerly homeless man who participates in weekly ISP meetings volunteers at the food pantry, carrying groceries home for the elderly and disabled. The programs work in harmony to support those in need.
Fr. Sheridan refers to Harvest on Vine as the Heart of the Charlestown Catholic Collaborative. Parishioners from both St. Francis De Sales and St. Mary-St.
Catherine participate in food distributions and preparations. The ministries foster ecumenism – a movement advocated by Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis to unify faith communities. Volunteers from Christ Church Charlestown and St. John’s Episcopal Church joined efforts at Harvest on Vine. Students from B.C. High and Malden Catholic contribute their time, while the Good Shepherd School organizes food drives. At Thanksgiving, confirmation students supported the pantry.
Today, Harvest on Vine serves more than 900 families, an increase from just seven in 2003 when we began. Each year the number grows in direct proportion to food insecurity. 
According to the Greater Boston Food Bank, 37% percent of Massachusetts households experience food insecurity, up from 17% in 2019. The problem isn’t going away. This ongoing challenge drives Harvest on Vine’s mission: to eradicate food insecurity in Charlestown and to build a compassionate community that embraces the disenfranchised.
Tom MacDonald
Director of Parish Social Ministries
To support the works of Harvest on Vine, please contact Tom for volunteer opportunities, or you can make a donation by sending a check (Made out to Harvest on Vine) to the Parish Office, in the basket on weekends, or by scanning this QR and selecting Harvest on Vine on the dropdown.
Harvest on Vine
February 2026 Special Schedule
Distributions
Tuesday, February 24th, 11:00 am – Snow Shoveling
– bring your shovel if you can help
Tuesday, February 24th, 12:00 pm – Setup
– combination indoor and outdoor.
Dry goods inside, Milk, produce, meats outside
Tuesday, February 24th, 2:00 pm – Food Distribution
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Harvest on Vine
January 2026 Schedule
Distributions
Friday, January 9th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Saturday, January 10th, 9:00 am – Setup tables
Saturday, January 10th, 10:00 am – Food Distribution
Thursday, January 22nd, 1:00 pm – Mishawum Park Distribution
NOTE CHANGE DUE TO MONDAY SNOW EMERGENCY
Tuesday, January 27th, 12:00 pm – Set-up
Tuesday, January 27th 1:00 pm – Set up tables
Tuesday, January 27th 2:00 pm – Distribution
Thursday, January 29th, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Cooking class with our special guest, Irene Shiang Li.
Irene is the co-founder of Mei Mei, a food-truck-turned-restaurant-turned-dumpling company based in Boston, and of Prepshift. This workforce training consultancy supports small restaurants and their teams to thrive sustainably and equitably.
December Statistics
Families served December 12/13- 254
tons of dried goods: pasta, beans, tuna, cereal including soap, toilet tissue, shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste.
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Harvest on Vine
November 2025 Schedule
Distributions
Friday, November 7th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Saturday, November 8th, 9:00 am – Setup tables
Saturday, November 8th, 10:00 am – Food Distribution
Winter Coat Distributions
Wednesday, November 12th,– 3-7 pm
Thursday, November 13th,– 3-7pm
Friday, November 14th,– 3-7pm
Thursday, November 20th, 1:00 pm – Mishawum Park Distribution
Tuesday, November 25th, 11:00 am – Set-up
Tuesday, November 25th 1:00 pm – Set up tables
Tuesday, November 25th 1:00 pm – Distribution
Thursday, November 20th, 4:00 pm
Boyce Community Kitchen
Cooking class offered by Chinese Chef, Jade Li
Chef Li teaches cooking classes throughout the Boston area and specializes in Chinese cuisine, particularly Sichuan and Shanghainese food.
October Statistics
Families served – 564
30,000 pounds of food distributed
2 tons of chicken
2 tons of produce
600 gallons of milk
2 tons of rice
tons of dried goods: pasta, beans, tuna, cereal
Including soap, toilet tissue, shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste.
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Thank you so much!
In gratitude to Chrissy Vraibel and the Boston Police, who donated 250 turkeys to Harvest on Vine!
Harvest on Vine
October 2025 Schedule
Distributions
Friday, October 10th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Saturday, October 11th, 9:00 am – Setup tables
Saturday, October 11th, 10:00 am – Food Distribution
Thursday, October 23rd, 1:00 pm – Mishawum Park Distribution
Monday, October 27th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Tuesday, October 28th* 1:00 pm – Set up tables – time change
Tuesday, October 29th* 2:00 pm – Food Distribution – time change
Thursday, October 30th, 5:00 pm
Boyce Community Kitchen
Nutritious and Easy to Prepare
Cooking Class
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Visit Harvest on Vine’s facebook page: 
and Instagram posts: 
Harvest on Vine
September 2025 Schedule
Distributions
Friday, September 12th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Saturday, September 13th, 9:00 am – Setup tables
Saturday, September 13th, 10:00 am – Food Distribution
Thursday, September 18th, 1:00 pm – Mishawum Park Distribution
Monday, September 29th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Tuesday, September 30th 4:00 pm – Set up tables
Tuesday, September 30th 5:00 pm – Food Distribution
Thursday, September 25th, 4:00 pm
Boyce Community Kitchen
Nutritious and Easy to Prepare
Cooking Demonstration
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Harvest on Vine
August 2025 Schedule
Distributions
Friday, August 8th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Saturday, August 9th, 9:00 am – Setup tables
Saturday, August 10th, 10:00 am – Food Distribution
Thursday, August 21st, 1:00 pm – Mishawum Park Distribution
Monday, August 25th, 3:00 pm – Set-up
Tuesday, August 26th 4:00 pm – Set up tables
Tuesday, August 26th 5:00 pm – Food Distribution
Thursday, August 28th, 4:00 pm
Boyce Community Kitchen
Nutritious and Easy to Prepare
Cooking Demonstration
Easy Summer Meal
Thank you for all that you do!
Tom
Charlestown Catholic Community
Pictures from Harvest on Vine distribution, Saturday, August 9 and some pics of a few of our volunteers!
Your donations at work. We would like to thank all those who participated in the cereal drive this summer and for the much needed continued support of our Harvest on Vine Food Pantry, which serves about 5 to 6 hundred families per month.
Something very special from Harvest on Vine is coming Thursday, Oct. 16.
Watch this space for updates!
Harvest on Vine
Community Kitchen Dedication
February 8, 2025
Dedication and Blessing of The Frances G. & Joseph F. Boyce Community Kitchen on February 8th.
Charlestown Catholic Community
Harvest on Vine
January 2025 update
On Saturday, January 11, Harvest on Vine volunteers braved the snow to distribute five tons of food to 225 families. They gave out milk, apples, acorn squash, and carrots, as well as chicken, fish, and pork chops. And all the dry goods the clients could carry. Despite the stormy conditions, the mood was joyous and energetic.
Harvest on Vine has again passed the Greater Boston Food Bank’s annual inspection, making it 22 years in a row. We have also been compliant with the City of Boston’s Inspectional Services Department in that time.
Thank you for your ongoing support. This ministry works because of you.
If you would like to become a volunteer at Harvest on Vine—The Heart of
Charlestown Catholic Collaborative—please send an email to tmacdonald@stmarystcatherine.org or call 617-990-7314.
Charlestown Catholic Community
News from Harvest on Vine
a Charlestown Hero
Earlier this month, The John F. Kennedy Family Service Center, Inc. an affiliate of Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) nominated Tom MacDonald who runs the Harvest on Vine (HOV) food pantry in conjunction with the Charlestown Catholic Collaborative.
He was one of nineteen people selected and celebrated for this award in the city of Boston. ABCD celebrates resolute volunteers like Tom who work tirelessly in their respective communities to assist and empower our neighbors.
HOV has grown from serving seven families in 2003 to more than six hundred today. The partnership with the JFK Family Service Center has been critical to this growth. In addition, the relationship with the St. Vincent de Paul society has also enabled the distribution of six hundred coats (donated graciously by Ocean State Job lot) over the last two years.
Tom explained his motivation for doing this work, “I love doing it. I get to see the best of humanity. The community is beautiful to me. It is just one big family.”
We give thanks to Tom MacDonald as he is a facilitator of good at each opportunity that comes his way.
The Harvest on Vine volunteers
Sunday, September 29, 2024, Harvest on Vine Fundraiser at Brewer’s Fork.
A very big thank you to those who attended and helped raise needed funds for the food pantry and a special thank you to Brewer’s Fork for hosting!
Cooking Class
On the Juneteenth holiday, Harvest on Vine partnered with the City of Boston’s Office for Food Justice and offered a cooking class to our clients. We made vegetable chili and a tossed salad with homemade dressing. After we prepared the meal, we sat as a community and ate together.
Twenty-five people participated in the cooking process: dicing vegetables, making rice, whisking dressing, cutting lettuce, spicing broth, along with organizing, serving, and cleaning. Twenty-five of us left with full bellies. The next day, Harvest on Vine distributed food to fifty-four families in Mishawum, the highest number to date at that location. Earlier in the month, on Saturday, June 8, we served 204 households at the Vine Street location. Our next distribution is Tuesday, June 25, at 6:00 PM. New volunteers are always welcome.
With gratitude for your support!
Harvest on Vine
Thank you from Harvest on Vine for the donations on Hungry Sunday.
Harvest on Vine serves over 300 food insecure families in Charlestown and the surrounding area twice a month. However at Thanksgiving, our support doubles to upwards of 600 families.