Harvest on Vine

Harvest on Vine
Update May 2023

The future of Harvest on Vine emergency food pantry looks bright. We received funding to buy an 8’ x 10’ outdoor freezer, which will give us the capacity we need to store plenty of meat, pork, poultry, and fish, as well as frozen fruits and vegetables. Our families prefer these foods, and we will soon have the freezer space to match the need.

Once the freezer is installed, we are building an overhang in the rectory parking lot, similar in size to the canopy we rent for the Thanksgiving distribution. The overhang will provide shelter in the winter and shade in the summer. We started distributing food outside in response to the pandemic. We will continue this practice. It is safer for both the volunteers and the clients. We hope to have the overhang built by the end of the summer.

In the fall we have two events in the works. On Saturday, September 16, we will host a community barbecue, dubbed The Great Urban Cookout. Three hundred people attended last year. We expect a similar number this year. In October we will be holding a fundraising event, celebrating Harvest on Vine’s 20th anniversary. Date to be announced.

Harvest on Vine has partnered with the City of Boston’s Office of Food Justice, whose goal is to end food insecurity in Boston. Members of OFJ attended two of our distributions and made suggestions on how we can better serve our clients. They see food as a way to build community, and they’ve given us ideas on how to make this happen in Charlestown.

Our volunteers continue to do outstanding work. Their compassionate service transforms each distribution into an act of kindness, an act of solidarity with the poor. Last Saturday, forty volunteers gave out six tons of food (ten pallets) to more than a hundred and fifty families. In addition to our core group, we recently had alumni teams from St. Joseph University and Fairfield University, and students from Malden Catholic and B.C. High.

Our benefactors keep us afloat. We are grateful for your financial gifts. The money you donate gives us the means to purchase the food we distribute. Because of your generosity, we are able to give each family 40-50 pounds of food twice a month. We provide milk, fresh produce, eggs, cheese, fish, chicken, pork, meat, and all the dry goods they can carry. Your donations make this possible.

The Greater Boston Food Bank has designated Harvest on Vine an emergency food pantry. For some of our families, the emergency never ends, thus our need for your support never ends.

Summer is coming and school will be out. As in summers past, we are requesting cereal donations for a cereal drive. If you are able to help out, please drop the boxes of cereal off at the Church before or after the Masses. You can also drop off cereal (or other food donations) at the Parish Office—46 Winthrop Street or at the food pantry on Vine Street.

Thank you.
Tom MacDonald
Social Ministry Director

Harvest on Vine
May 2023 Calendar

49 Vine Street

Friday  May 12th – 3:00 pm – Set-up

Saturday May 13th – 10:00 am – Distribution

Friday, May 26th – 3:00 pm – Set-up

Memorial Day Weekend!
We remember those who gave their lives serving our country

Tuesday, May  30th – 2:00 pm – Distribution

Mishawum Park

Thursday, May 18th – 1:00 pm – Set-up

(Mishawum Park staff handles the set-up and distribution with HoV.)

Thank you for all that you do!

Tom

Charlestown Catholic Community

Harvest on Vine
April 2023 Schedule

49 Vine Street

Thursday (not Good Friday) April 6th – 3:30 pm – Set-up

Saturday April 8th – 10:00 am – Distribution

Monday, April 24th – 3:00 pm – Set-up

Tuesday, April 25th – 2:00 pm – Distribution

Mishawum Park

Wednesday, April 19th – 3:00 pm – Set-up

Tuesday, April 25th – 1:00 pm – Distribution

(Tom works with the Mishawum Park staff to distribute food.)

Thank you!

Tom

Happy Easter from all of us at

Charlestown Catholic Community

Prior news items and reports

Ways to Donate

Calendar – select HoV only from categories dropdown on top left