May 31, 2025 • 15 mins
There's a lot of food out there that's perfectly good to eat, but, for whatever reason, isn't easily sold. Perhaps it has bruises, it's *just* past the expiration date, or the packaging is off. Meals made for big functions often just end up in the trash if no one comes to consume them. Spoonfuls in Newton, a "food recovery" service, works each and every day to track down consumables that are destined for the landfill and redirect them to people in need around the Commonwealth. Erin Keohane, the Chief Advancement Officer at Spoonfuls, talks with Nichole about their process, why their services are needed more now than ever, and the roadblocks they're dealing with involving federal funding and support.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each and every week right here, we come together, we
talk about all the topics important to you and the
place where you live. It's great to have you back
with us this weekend. I'm Nicole Davis. There is a
lot of food here in the United States of America.
Even around here in Massachusetts, we're surrounded by it. Just
(00:29):
take a look at your local supermarket aisles and aisles
of everything you need, spices, the meats, and the cheeses
and the dorito's, you know, the good stuff. Think of cafeterias,
all the food that's made each day but not eaten
and then just kind of tossed or put aside. The
produce that's at the supermarket or the farmer's markets. That's
totally fine. It's a bit bruised up, but tastes okay.
(00:50):
Although it never sells. You wouldn't know. So much of
the food that's either caught, harvested, grown, or manufactured never
makes it to your table. Unfortunately. It off goes in
the compost or the landfill. That's where food recovery services
like Spoonfuls come in. Spoonfuls is based in Newton and
they work with business owners, colleges, farmers, and many others
(01:10):
to make sure food that would once go to waste
can fight hunger here in the Bay State. Aeron Cohane
is the chief Advancement Officer at Spoonfuls. She's here to
talk with us all about it. Erin, thank you so
much for being here. Good to have you on the show,
and tell us a bit more about Spoonfuls.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Sure So. Spoonfuls is a food recovery and hunger relief
organization based in Massachusetts. We were founded in twenty ten
and our mission is simple. What we do is we
recover food that would otherwise be wasted or discarded, but
that is still perfectly healthy and fresh. And our team
works Monday through Friday to deliver that food directly to
(01:46):
organizations where it can have the greatest impact. So these
are organizations like local meal programs, soup kitchen, senior centers,
after school programs. Again, anywhere we're having access to fresh,
healthy food can support their community better.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So tell me a bit about food recovery, what exactly
does that mean and how do you do it?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We started, you know again, fifteen years ago and the
model was really based on the idea that there is
plenty of food that is being produced, but it's just
going to waste from one stream runner or another, whether
that's at the distribution level, at the manufacturer level, or
in our own homes. So in the United States, about
thirty one percent of food goes unsold or uneaten, but
(02:29):
that food in many cases is still perfectly healthy, and
at least here in Massachusetts, about one in six individuals
are experiencing food and security. So when Ashley Stanley, our founder,
you know, founded Spoonfuls fifteen years ago, it was to
provide a really logical solution. There's excess food and there
are people that need it, so let's find a way
to get it from point A to point B.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now, why do you think there's such a chasm here
of all this food that we clearly have. I mean,
our store shelves are totally packed all the time time. Well,
where do you think the disconnect is here between making
sure people get it? Is it just you know, not
having enough money in our wallets? Is it just overproduction?
What do you think the issue is?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think it's a little bit of everything. You know,
we can see food that is you know, there's slightly bruised,
or maybe it's a a couple of days close to
the expiration date or something as silly as the label
was put on upside down. You know, there is a
reason that the retailer felt like they can no longer
sell it, or that it wasn't sellable in their stores
(03:31):
to begin with, so they put that either in a
recovery bin for us or other organizations to recover, or
they may compost depending on where it is in its
life cycle. But this is really, you know, based on
I would say decades and decades of misinformation. You know,
things like date labeling is so confusing. I know in
(03:51):
my own home growing up, when some things that had expired,
we took that at face value and we would throw
it away instead of using our sense is and you know,
opening it up and smelling it and looking at it
and making sure it was okay. Things like eggs are
good past the best buyer used by date by at
least a week, if not two. So you know, I
(04:12):
think it really is just a re education that needs
to happen. Better information out there for how people, especially
right now in this sort of climate where it is
expensive to go to the grocery store, and it is
really challenging to fill our shelves and fill our refrigerators
in a way that is accessible for everybody. So, you know,
(04:33):
we really need to make sure that we're making the
most of the food that we do have.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
And I think it's really important too. You brought up
a great point. I mean, with so many people here
in Massachusetts dealing with food insecurity, the one in six
number always just stands out to me, you know, and
this is twenty twenty five. We have all this food.
The food banks that you work with and the organizations
you work with, they must be so grateful to have
this extra I guess, just another way for them to
(05:01):
get food that maybe they normally would not have if
you weren't around.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
That's right, and I think that's where our model we
really try to prioritize. You know, the one in six
people in Massachusetts number that I shared, that's broadly across
the commonwealth. There are communities and counties across the state
that are experiencing one in two households, one in three households.
It is pretty staggering when you look at the numbers
(05:27):
to see the rates of food insecurity. So you know,
the partners that we're working with, these meal programs or
soup kitchens, many of which are also being supported by
the Greater Boston Food Bank or Feeding America agencies, but
they tend to focus on more of the shelf stable items,
you know, rice, beans, canned goods, and what typically is
(05:47):
not easily accessible at those types of programs are the
fresh ingredients. So Spoonfuls really comes in and we provide
about our covered food. We are about seventy percent focused
on fresh and perish ingredients, so produce meat, dairy, things
that might be eitherwise cost prohibitive to gain access to
or you know, available at a really limited basis at
(06:10):
their local meal program.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And foods that growing families need the most because you
need those healthy proteins. You need to make sure that
kids have fruits and vegetables. I mean adults, we need
them too, let's be honest, But especially if you've got
kids in the household. You know, boxed foods and preservatives
and all that stuff, they do play a role, but
the fresh food is critical.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Critical, and you know, even when you think about the
complete meal, if you're going to a food pantry and
you're getting a box of macaroni and cheese. What do
you need to make macaroni and cheese?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
You need milk, and you need milk.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, so you know, it really is you know, you
can't assume that just because it's there. It's all that
a family needs. A family needs a fully well rounded
opportunity to support their you know, individual self and their
the household through having access to fresh, perishable ingredients.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Now, obviously this is a very quickly changing political climate
and there have been a lot of cuts to food
programs and other funding in the federal level. Tell me
about how that is impacting your work and the work
of the people that you connect with to get this
food out.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
You know, it's sort of the really hitting from every
different angle. You know, we as an organization have sort
of said for many years that, oh man, we don't
receive federal funding. You know, that's sort of a bummer.
But in this moment, you know, we're sort of grateful
to not be recipients of federal funding. However, many nonprofits
(07:43):
that we deliver food to our recipients of that federal funding,
and many nonprofits that we're partners with our recipients of
that funding. So, for example, the Massachusetts food banks received
about three point three million dollars in cuts in food access,
and that food was intended to purchase local fresh food,
(08:04):
so that was produce and meat, and that cut severely
has a ripple effect across hundreds of agencies across the commonwealth.
You know, these are organizations that are relying on many
different sources, and if their funding is cut and then
what they're able to procure from local food banks is cut,
(08:25):
they're turning to Spoonfuls and other food recovery organizations to say, you, guys,
are a solution here. You know, we don't charge a
fee for service from our partners from either end, from
either the food retailer that we're recovering the food from
or the nonprofits that we're distributing to. So they're really
looking to us to say, we need your help more
(08:45):
now than we've ever needed it before. Currently, we have
a wait list of more than one hundred agencies across
the states that are looking to get our services, plus
of our partners that we're already working with, which is
about two one hundred community groups across the state. We're
seeing collectively about a thirty five percent increase in need
(09:07):
at those agencies. So what we have been doing over
the years. You know, last year we recovered five million
pounds of food. Our goal this year, sorry, five point
five million pounds of food. Our goal this year is
to recover five point eight million pounds of food. And
you know, really that's going to just stretch a little
bit further. We're needing to make a really big splash
(09:28):
this year to support these communities better. And the way
to do that is raising more dollars, getting more trucks
on the road, and supporting more community partners.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, and individually, I think people would love to know
how they can make an impact as well to help
in the cycle of making sure that people who need
this food can get it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
There are many ways that people can support, you know,
I would say, first and foremost, it's it donate. You know,
even if it's five dollars, ten dollars, one hundred dollars,
whatever it might be. Anything that you can potentially give
two spoonfuls or to other agencies fighting food and security
right now, it is going to go a long way.
(10:07):
Right now for us, every dollar that we raise helps
us recover a pound of food, and that goes on
to create at least two meals. So when we think
about impact, that has a significant impact. You know, there
are other ways that we encourage people to get engaged.
Volunteer to local food pantry or meal program. Check out
spoonfuls dot org, Slash advocacy. We are currently trying to
(10:31):
advocate for a number of different policies and bills, both
at the state level and the federal level that will
support food access. In particular, right now with the potential
budget cuts to programs like SNAP, that is going to
have a huge impact. We will see more food and
security than we've seen in decades. So, you know, really
(10:54):
being able to both hear your you know, have your
voice heard, and also support with any financial contributions that
you can.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
And I think on a personal level as well, being
at home. We were talking about the education right of
relearning and unlearning, the expiration dates and this and that.
What can people do in their own homes to make
sure that they're not contributing to food waste.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
That's a great that's a great question. Everyone, especially in Massachusetts,
should look up a local composting company. Many towns and
cities have composting contracts and requirements to reduce food waste.
You know, the I would say that that is a
great solution. Everyone in every home should have a compost bin,
(11:37):
and you know, that's a great way to prevent food waste.
But then even you know, backing out a little bit more,
make sure that you go through your refrigerator every week
before you go to the grocery store. It sounds really simple,
but if you open that refrigerator door, open your cabinets
first and look at what you have check out. You know,
you again, use your senses. Check out, make sure that
(11:58):
it's still quality, and say to eat and try to
meal plan really intentionally before you go to the grocery
store to shop. I think, you know, we all eat
with our eyes and you know, you know, go grocery
shopping with sort of an empty stomach at times and
buy things we don't need. So as best as you
can prepare, think thinks through, and just be really conscious
(12:19):
of what you're wasting in your own home. And then
I would also just say portion control. You know, we
I have two toddlers at home, a four and a
two year old, and as you can imagine, as a
you know, woman that works in a food waste reduction company,
I'm seeing you know, food flying off the plate or no,
you know that'm being really picky and not and not
eating their full meals. And you know the way that
(12:40):
we can prevent that is just you know, kind of
doing smaller portions, seeing what they're interested in, making sure
that you're really cooking for what you need as opposed
to what you think you need.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
All right, great details, great information there, Aaron. How if
somebody is listening and they want to do that donation
for you, if they want to learn it more and
get involved, where can they find you?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
They can find us at spoonfuls dot org. They can
go on our website. We also have social media accounts
on Instagram and Facebook and LinkedIn. We would encourage you
to follow along our story. Our team is out on
the road five days a week. They are hauling about
one hundred thousand pounds plus every single week to serve
(13:23):
these community partners, and we would love for more folks
to follow along our journey and support our work as
best they can. For me, I've never really experienced a
moment like we're in right now, where it's the funding cuts,
the food and security increases. The only thing that I
could relate to This moment was right at the beginning
of the pandemic where there was a lot of anxiety
(13:44):
and fear in the nonprofit space of how are we
going to support this growing need and do what we
know continue to do for funding and all of the things.
And what I would say is during COVID, there was
sort of this news swell, know of you're seeing on
the news every night, lines around the corner at food
pantries and meal programs. You're seeing every night, you know
(14:07):
what to do if you want to help. We're not
seeing that now, and it's really interesting. You really have
to kind of dig for that type of news to
understand how are people, you know, surviving in this in
this climate where groceries are so expensive. Again, we're seeing
that thirty five percent increase from the partners that we
do work with currently, that their need is growing, and
(14:29):
that the point of sort of awareness around that really
isn't happening at the scale that I think we all
as spoonfuls think it should be, and we really need
that to happen. There's so much news going on every
single day that frankly is is at times just distractions
and what we really wish that you know, the community
(14:50):
was aware and knew about where the reality for so
many people, especially here in Massachusetts, that the struggles that
they're facing, and the expectations of thetruggles to come, and
really the fear that that has. And you know, we
just hope that people kind of try to dig a
little deeper for that information and understand how they can
better support their neighbors.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
All Right, well, Erin, thank you for your time, thank
you for the education, and all the best as you
try to make sure that people here in Massachusetts who
need to be fed can get the food they need.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Thank you so much, Nicole, it was really nice to
talk with you.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Have a safe and healthy weekend. Please join me again
next week for another edition of the show. I'm Nicole
Davis from WBZ News Radio on iHeartRadio.
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each and every week right here, we come together, we
talk about all the topics important to you and the
place where you live. It's great to have you back
with us this weekend. I'm Nicole Davis. There is a
lot of food here in the United States of America.
Even around here in Massachusetts, we're surrounded by it. Just
(00:29):
take a look at your local supermarket aisles and aisles
of everything you need, spices, the meats, and the cheeses
and the dorito's, you know, the good stuff. Think of cafeterias,
all the food that's made each day but not eaten
and then just kind of tossed or put aside. The
produce that's at the supermarket or the farmer's markets. That's
totally fine. It's a bit bruised up, but tastes okay.
(00:50):
Although it never sells. You wouldn't know. So much of
the food that's either caught, harvested, grown, or manufactured never
makes it to your table. Unfortunately. It off goes in
the compost or the landfill. That's where food recovery services
like Spoonfuls come in. Spoonfuls is based in Newton and
they work with business owners, colleges, farmers, and many others
(01:10):
to make sure food that would once go to waste
can fight hunger here in the Bay State. Aeron Cohane
is the chief Advancement Officer at Spoonfuls. She's here to
talk with us all about it. Erin, thank you so
much for being here. Good to have you on the show,
and tell us a bit more about Spoonfuls.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Sure So. Spoonfuls is a food recovery and hunger relief
organization based in Massachusetts. We were founded in twenty ten
and our mission is simple. What we do is we
recover food that would otherwise be wasted or discarded, but
that is still perfectly healthy and fresh. And our team
works Monday through Friday to deliver that food directly to
(01:46):
organizations where it can have the greatest impact. So these
are organizations like local meal programs, soup kitchen, senior centers,
after school programs. Again, anywhere we're having access to fresh,
healthy food can support their community better.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
So tell me a bit about food recovery, what exactly
does that mean and how do you do it?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We started, you know again, fifteen years ago and the
model was really based on the idea that there is
plenty of food that is being produced, but it's just
going to waste from one stream runner or another, whether
that's at the distribution level, at the manufacturer level, or
in our own homes. So in the United States, about
thirty one percent of food goes unsold or uneaten, but
(02:29):
that food in many cases is still perfectly healthy, and
at least here in Massachusetts, about one in six individuals
are experiencing food and security. So when Ashley Stanley, our founder,
you know, founded Spoonfuls fifteen years ago, it was to
provide a really logical solution. There's excess food and there
are people that need it, so let's find a way
to get it from point A to point B.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Now, why do you think there's such a chasm here
of all this food that we clearly have. I mean,
our store shelves are totally packed all the time time. Well,
where do you think the disconnect is here between making
sure people get it? Is it just you know, not
having enough money in our wallets? Is it just overproduction?
What do you think the issue is?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I think it's a little bit of everything. You know,
we can see food that is you know, there's slightly bruised,
or maybe it's a a couple of days close to
the expiration date or something as silly as the label
was put on upside down. You know, there is a
reason that the retailer felt like they can no longer
sell it, or that it wasn't sellable in their stores
(03:31):
to begin with, so they put that either in a
recovery bin for us or other organizations to recover, or
they may compost depending on where it is in its
life cycle. But this is really, you know, based on
I would say decades and decades of misinformation. You know,
things like date labeling is so confusing. I know in
(03:51):
my own home growing up, when some things that had expired,
we took that at face value and we would throw
it away instead of using our sense is and you know,
opening it up and smelling it and looking at it
and making sure it was okay. Things like eggs are
good past the best buyer used by date by at
least a week, if not two. So you know, I
(04:12):
think it really is just a re education that needs
to happen. Better information out there for how people, especially
right now in this sort of climate where it is
expensive to go to the grocery store, and it is
really challenging to fill our shelves and fill our refrigerators
in a way that is accessible for everybody. So, you know,
(04:33):
we really need to make sure that we're making the
most of the food that we do have.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
And I think it's really important too. You brought up
a great point. I mean, with so many people here
in Massachusetts dealing with food insecurity, the one in six
number always just stands out to me, you know, and
this is twenty twenty five. We have all this food.
The food banks that you work with and the organizations
you work with, they must be so grateful to have
this extra I guess, just another way for them to
(05:01):
get food that maybe they normally would not have if
you weren't around.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
That's right, and I think that's where our model we
really try to prioritize. You know, the one in six
people in Massachusetts number that I shared, that's broadly across
the commonwealth. There are communities and counties across the state
that are experiencing one in two households, one in three households.
It is pretty staggering when you look at the numbers
(05:27):
to see the rates of food insecurity. So you know,
the partners that we're working with, these meal programs or
soup kitchens, many of which are also being supported by
the Greater Boston Food Bank or Feeding America agencies, but
they tend to focus on more of the shelf stable items,
you know, rice, beans, canned goods, and what typically is
(05:47):
not easily accessible at those types of programs are the
fresh ingredients. So Spoonfuls really comes in and we provide
about our covered food. We are about seventy percent focused
on fresh and perish ingredients, so produce meat, dairy, things
that might be eitherwise cost prohibitive to gain access to
or you know, available at a really limited basis at
(06:10):
their local meal program.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
And foods that growing families need the most because you
need those healthy proteins. You need to make sure that
kids have fruits and vegetables. I mean adults, we need
them too, let's be honest, But especially if you've got
kids in the household. You know, boxed foods and preservatives
and all that stuff, they do play a role, but
the fresh food is critical.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Critical, and you know, even when you think about the
complete meal, if you're going to a food pantry and
you're getting a box of macaroni and cheese. What do
you need to make macaroni and cheese?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
You need milk, and you need milk.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, so you know, it really is you know, you
can't assume that just because it's there. It's all that
a family needs. A family needs a fully well rounded
opportunity to support their you know, individual self and their
the household through having access to fresh, perishable ingredients.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Now, obviously this is a very quickly changing political climate
and there have been a lot of cuts to food
programs and other funding in the federal level. Tell me
about how that is impacting your work and the work
of the people that you connect with to get this
food out.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
You know, it's sort of the really hitting from every
different angle. You know, we as an organization have sort
of said for many years that, oh man, we don't
receive federal funding. You know, that's sort of a bummer.
But in this moment, you know, we're sort of grateful
to not be recipients of federal funding. However, many nonprofits
(07:43):
that we deliver food to our recipients of that federal funding,
and many nonprofits that we're partners with our recipients of
that funding. So, for example, the Massachusetts food banks received
about three point three million dollars in cuts in food access,
and that food was intended to purchase local fresh food,
(08:04):
so that was produce and meat, and that cut severely
has a ripple effect across hundreds of agencies across the commonwealth.
You know, these are organizations that are relying on many
different sources, and if their funding is cut and then
what they're able to procure from local food banks is cut,
(08:25):
they're turning to Spoonfuls and other food recovery organizations to say, you, guys,
are a solution here. You know, we don't charge a
fee for service from our partners from either end, from
either the food retailer that we're recovering the food from
or the nonprofits that we're distributing to. So they're really
looking to us to say, we need your help more
(08:45):
now than we've ever needed it before. Currently, we have
a wait list of more than one hundred agencies across
the states that are looking to get our services, plus
of our partners that we're already working with, which is
about two one hundred community groups across the state. We're
seeing collectively about a thirty five percent increase in need
(09:07):
at those agencies. So what we have been doing over
the years. You know, last year we recovered five million
pounds of food. Our goal this year, sorry, five point
five million pounds of food. Our goal this year is
to recover five point eight million pounds of food. And
you know, really that's going to just stretch a little
bit further. We're needing to make a really big splash
(09:28):
this year to support these communities better. And the way
to do that is raising more dollars, getting more trucks
on the road, and supporting more community partners.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, and individually, I think people would love to know
how they can make an impact as well to help
in the cycle of making sure that people who need
this food can get it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
There are many ways that people can support, you know,
I would say, first and foremost, it's it donate. You know,
even if it's five dollars, ten dollars, one hundred dollars,
whatever it might be. Anything that you can potentially give
two spoonfuls or to other agencies fighting food and security
right now, it is going to go a long way.
(10:07):
Right now for us, every dollar that we raise helps
us recover a pound of food, and that goes on
to create at least two meals. So when we think
about impact, that has a significant impact. You know, there
are other ways that we encourage people to get engaged.
Volunteer to local food pantry or meal program. Check out
spoonfuls dot org, Slash advocacy. We are currently trying to
(10:31):
advocate for a number of different policies and bills, both
at the state level and the federal level that will
support food access. In particular, right now with the potential
budget cuts to programs like SNAP, that is going to
have a huge impact. We will see more food and
security than we've seen in decades. So, you know, really
(10:54):
being able to both hear your you know, have your
voice heard, and also support with any financial contributions that
you can.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
And I think on a personal level as well, being
at home. We were talking about the education right of
relearning and unlearning, the expiration dates and this and that.
What can people do in their own homes to make
sure that they're not contributing to food waste.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
That's a great that's a great question. Everyone, especially in Massachusetts,
should look up a local composting company. Many towns and
cities have composting contracts and requirements to reduce food waste.
You know, the I would say that that is a
great solution. Everyone in every home should have a compost bin,
(11:37):
and you know, that's a great way to prevent food waste.
But then even you know, backing out a little bit more,
make sure that you go through your refrigerator every week
before you go to the grocery store. It sounds really simple,
but if you open that refrigerator door, open your cabinets
first and look at what you have check out. You know,
you again, use your senses. Check out, make sure that
(11:58):
it's still quality, and say to eat and try to
meal plan really intentionally before you go to the grocery
store to shop. I think, you know, we all eat
with our eyes and you know, you know, go grocery
shopping with sort of an empty stomach at times and
buy things we don't need. So as best as you
can prepare, think thinks through, and just be really conscious
(12:19):
of what you're wasting in your own home. And then
I would also just say portion control. You know, we
I have two toddlers at home, a four and a
two year old, and as you can imagine, as a
you know, woman that works in a food waste reduction company,
I'm seeing you know, food flying off the plate or no,
you know that'm being really picky and not and not
eating their full meals. And you know the way that
(12:40):
we can prevent that is just you know, kind of
doing smaller portions, seeing what they're interested in, making sure
that you're really cooking for what you need as opposed
to what you think you need.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
All right, great details, great information there, Aaron. How if
somebody is listening and they want to do that donation
for you, if they want to learn it more and
get involved, where can they find you?
Speaker 2 (13:01):
They can find us at spoonfuls dot org. They can
go on our website. We also have social media accounts
on Instagram and Facebook and LinkedIn. We would encourage you
to follow along our story. Our team is out on
the road five days a week. They are hauling about
one hundred thousand pounds plus every single week to serve
(13:23):
these community partners, and we would love for more folks
to follow along our journey and support our work as
best they can. For me, I've never really experienced a
moment like we're in right now, where it's the funding cuts,
the food and security increases. The only thing that I
could relate to This moment was right at the beginning
of the pandemic where there was a lot of anxiety
(13:44):
and fear in the nonprofit space of how are we
going to support this growing need and do what we
know continue to do for funding and all of the things.
And what I would say is during COVID, there was
sort of this news swell, know of you're seeing on
the news every night, lines around the corner at food
pantries and meal programs. You're seeing every night, you know
(14:07):
what to do if you want to help. We're not
seeing that now, and it's really interesting. You really have
to kind of dig for that type of news to
understand how are people, you know, surviving in this in
this climate where groceries are so expensive. Again, we're seeing
that thirty five percent increase from the partners that we
do work with currently, that their need is growing, and
(14:29):
that the point of sort of awareness around that really
isn't happening at the scale that I think we all
as spoonfuls think it should be, and we really need
that to happen. There's so much news going on every
single day that frankly is is at times just distractions
and what we really wish that you know, the community
(14:50):
was aware and knew about where the reality for so
many people, especially here in Massachusetts, that the struggles that
they're facing, and the expectations of thetruggles to come, and
really the fear that that has. And you know, we
just hope that people kind of try to dig a
little deeper for that information and understand how they can
better support their neighbors.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
All Right, well, Erin, thank you for your time, thank
you for the education, and all the best as you
try to make sure that people here in Massachusetts who
need to be fed can get the food they need.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Thank you so much, Nicole, it was really nice to
talk with you.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Have a safe and healthy weekend. Please join me again
next week for another edition of the show. I'm Nicole
Davis from WBZ News Radio on iHeartRadio.
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