Just Eats grocery box program
The Food For Free Just Eats grocery box program provides healthy food to 1,280 Eastern Massachusetts families and individuals each week
We deliver boxes full of fresh produce and pantry staples to pantries and other community partners for easy grab-n-go distribution.
Just Eats is the embodiment of our belief that access to healthy food is a fundamental right. Each Just Eats box includes approximately twenty five pounds of produce and pantry staples such as rice, beans or lentils, potatoes, onions, carrots, apples, oranges, kale, and other produce options. The boxes allow grab-and-go distribution, helping pantries keep workers, volunteers, and participants as safe as possible. The Just Eats program provides food boxes to food pantries, low-income housing facilities, and schools in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Revere, Somerville, and other local communities.
Our Just Eats program aims to fill the gap left by distribution problems with the federal government's "Farmers to Families" program and address the growing hunger problem in Eastern Massachusetts.
Before the pandemic, Eastern Massachusetts already had some of the highest food and housing costs in the nation. During the pandemic, the cost of food and local rates of unemployment both increased, making food insecurity in Eastern Massachusetts even worse. Simply put, we are facing a growing hunger crisis in our community not seen in generations.
In December 2020, Food For Free began a pilot of the Just Eats program to replace and improve upon the USDA’s pandemic response Farmers to Families food box program. Starting with 500 boxes per week, we are now distributing 1,280 boxes a week.
Food For Free's Just Eats grocery box program was created to be more in sync with what food pantries and community groups know their communities want and need.
Fighting hunger is a team effort and we’re grateful for the support of our community to make the Just Eats program happen. Our Just Eats boxes are packed each week at our Packing & Distribution Center in East Somerville by our staff and volunteers. We are immensely grateful to Takeda, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Biogen Foundation, Intercontinental Real Estate, and Life Science Cares for their sponsorship of this program.
Do you want to help us expand the Just Eats program? Here’s how you can help!
- If you represent a food pantry or community organization interested in distributing Just Eats Boxes please contact Alex Gladwell.
- Interested in corporate sponsorship for the Just Eats program, please contact our Chief Development Officer, Marena Burnett.
- Want to volunteer for the Just Eats program? Visit our Volunteer page to find out more!
- Are you a member of the media interested in learning more about Just Eats? Contact our marketing team to find out more.
Please note that we do not distribute directly to individuals. All distribution takes place through our community partners. Please contact your nearest food pantry or visit this page to find resources near you.
“No one should ever go hungry anywhere in our country. Food For Free has understood this basic human right and enabled our community to come together and step up where government falls short and fails. Food For Free continues to play a critical life saving role in helping families and individuals nourish their families.”
― Marjorie Decker, Massachusetts State Representative representing the 25th Middlesex District
