11 Jan MLK DAY Food Drives-Why they Matter To Our Neighbors
MLK DAY Food and Clothing drives—why they matter to our neighbors
According to the Boston Food Bank’s annual statewide report, the number of people in Massachusetts that are experiencing food insecurity is growing.
Here’s the situation: one in three Massachusetts residents struggles with hunger (LINK). This includes our neighbors right here in Cambridge who might not have access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality.
Donating isn’t just about cleaning out your pantry or your closet. The best donations are given with the recipients in mind.
What do people who are experiencing food insecurity really need? For the MLK DAY of Service Food drive, MHH365 provides a list of food that comes directly from the organizations we serve. (More info on food insecurity at this link).
Need Food? Here is a list of resources for you from Food for Free.
According to the open portal on the website at the City of Cambridge, on January 25th 2023, in Cambridge there were 333 individuals in emergency shelters, 66 in transitional housing, and 74 were unsheltered.
In the report “Addressing homelessness in Cambridge 2022″ in any given night, more than 500 of our friends and neighbors in Cambridge have no home, and this number increases many-fold through the course of a year. A disproportionately high percentage of those experiencing homelessness in Cambridge are people of color.
Your donations and the blankets we make on MLK DAY are given to area shelters. Shelters work season to season (storage is a real issue) and winter months are the most challenging.
The best items you can donate?
- Warm socks, gloves and hats for adults and teens
- Underwear (new) for adults and children
- Snowpants, mittens and winter boots for children
The most visible form of homelessness in Cambridge is found in the unsheltered population of persons experiencing homelessness – those sleeping and living on streets, sidewalks, cars, parking garages and other places not meant for human habitation. The population of individuals and families living in shelters and transitional housing is less visible, but greater in number than those living in unsheltered situations
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