Gift card program allows food insecure families and individuals in need to shop for their own food at three Boston-area stores, including newest location in Central Square
Cambridge, MA (March 16, 2021) – Food For Free, the Cambridge-based, non-profit organization dedicated to providing every member of the Greater Boston community with reliable access to fresh and nutritious food, announced today that they are distributing 1500 Daily Table gift cards to area food pantries to improve access to healthy foods for locals battling food insecurity.
Daily Table is a not-for-profit food store with three locations in the Boston area, including its newest location in Central Square, Cambridge. Open to everyone, the store is designed to provide its communities with access to nutritious food that fits all budgets. In response to the pandemic, Daily Table offers free grocery delivery within two miles of each store.
Food For Free began the program with a donation of gift cards to the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee in February. Based on the success of the program, Food For Free will distribute them to Margaret Fuller House and the Cambridge Community Center beginning today. Each gift card will be funded with $25 and will enable recipients to shop for their own affordable, healthy, delicious food, and allow them to make choices that work for their respective families. The cards will give shoppers a reason to try out the store to see how much further their dollars can stretch there.
Many individuals and families remain food insecure as a result of the pandemic, and this gift card program is one of the many ways Food For Free has stepped up to help. Before the COVID-19 crisis, one in thirteen Massachusetts households did not have regular access to healthy food. Since the crisis, the number of people needing food assistance has sharply spiked with one in eight residents now experiencing food insecurity.
“The pandemic has put an enormous strain on families, and many have less money to buy food with than they did at this time last year. For example, before the onset of the pandemic, one in eleven children in Eastern Massachusetts faced food insecurity. Now, it’s one in five children,” said Sasha Purpura, Executive Director of Food For Free. “We are extremely excited to have Daily Table join the Cambridge Community. It offers yet another critical tool in this fight against hunger, offering delicious, nutritious and affordable food for everyone. We’re thrilled to offer these gift cards to our community so they have one more route to access healthy foods.”
Every food item sold at Daily Table meets strict nutritional guidelines (reasonable levels of sodium and fat) and is priced to fit every budget. Guidelines were developed with the help of world-class nutritionists from Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Children’s Hospital, and others. The store offers a range of grocery staples: meat, dairy, cheese, frozen, pantry items, and a wide selection of fresh produce at prices that are significantly less than other local supermarkets. SNAP customers also receive a 50% discount on already low fresh produce prices through the Double Up Food Bucks program. SNAP customers who also receive a gift card from Food For Free will be able to stretch their dollars even further as part of this program.
Tina Alu, Executive Director of the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee commented on how the gift cards were received by patrons of the organization: “CEOC was thrilled to receive gift cards for Daily Table to give to our pantry patrons. It was a great way for people to become familiar with the much-needed grocery store in Central Square. Everyone left with big smiles on their faces.”
Anyone can shop at Daily Table, and is encouraged to do so, as purchases support the store’s mission to fight food insecurity. Quite literally, every shopper is a funder.
“One of Daily Table’s main goals is to empower our customers by reducing the economic barriers to choosing a healthy diet,” said Doug Rauch, President and Founder of Daily Table. “Food For Free’s gift card program allows people battling food insecurity an opportunity to experience our store and see how much further their food dollars can go toward purchasing delicious, nutritious food. We’re honored to partner with Food for Free in this innovative approach, and to share our commitment to providing access to healthy, affordable food.”
For more information visit foodforfree.org or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT FOOD FOR FREE
Food For Free is a Cambridge-based, non-profit organization dedicated to providing the Greater Boston community with reliable access to fresh and nutritious food. Food For Free accomplishes its mission through food rescue, partnerships with schools, colleges, and community food programs, and our own direct service programs. In 2019, Food For Free distributed more than two million pounds of nutritious food to more than 30,000 people throughout Greater Boston. To learn more, please visit us at foodforfree.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT DAILY TABLE
Daily Table is a nonprofit community grocery chain dedicated to providing fresh, tasty, convenient and nutritious food at affordable prices to communities most in need. We operate three stores in the Greater Boston region offering a range of fresh produce, grocery staples, and prepared foods at prices that are significantly lower than other local supermarkets. In addition to our retail work, we operate a teaching kitchen and provide retail job training at an industry-leading starting wage of $15.69/hr. In response to the pandemic, Daily Table has delivered nearly 40,000 emergency meals to the community and now provides free grocery delivery within two miles of each store. To learn more, please visit: dailytable.org.
