Nourishing Our Community: Celebrating The Salem Pantry’s Incredible Impact to North Shore food security

Creative Collective was honored to attend The Salem Pantry‘s 2nd Annual Impact Breakfast on June 25th, where we witnessed firsthand how one organization is transforming North Shore food security across our region.

Community-Powered Impact: The Power of Partnership

The Salem Pantry’s success isn’t just about professional staff—an incredible community of supporters powers it. 1,103 volunteers contributed over 10,010 hours in 2024, representing a dollar value of $400,985 in donated time. That’s the equivalent of nearly 20 full-time positions worth of community investment.

Their funding model reflects broad community support, with $4.4 million in revenue, comprising 65.3% from in-kind donations (primarily food), 11.3% from government sources, and 9.3% from individual donors. Even more impressive: 91.7% of all expenses go directly to programs, with only 4.3% for management and 4% for fundraising.

The organization also celebrated significant recognition in 2024, including being named Community Partner of the Year by The Greater Boston Food Bank—a testament to their collaborative approach and regional impact.

Strategic Innovation: Looking Forward

The Salem Pantry didn’t just grow in 2024—they evolved. Major developments included:

• Merger with North Shore Moving Market: Taking over their longstanding home delivery program to ensure continuous service for homebound residents
• New Strategic Plan: Developed with BananaBox Consulting, outlining their direction for the next three years and positioning them to take a leadership role in strengthening the regional food system
• Nutrition Partnership: Collaboration with Nutrition Harmony to expand nutrition education, promote culturally relevant healthy eating, and support guests managing chronic conditions

The Numbers Tell a Powerful Story

When discussing community impact, sometimes the most compelling stories are told through statistics. The Salem Pantry’s 2024 Impact Report reveals an organization that isn’t just feeding our neighbors—they’re building a comprehensive food safety net that spans 12 communities across the North Shore.

A Growth Story That Tells the Real Story

The numbers alone are staggering: 3.7 million pounds of food distributed in 2024—a 61% increase from the previous year and nearly triple their 2022 distribution of 1.4 million pounds. This isn’t just growth; it’s evidence of both expanding capacity and increasing need.

Thirty-one thousand five hundred neighbors served—including 12,050 children and 3,810 seniors—across 9,560 households spanning from Salem to Lynn, Peabody to Beverly, and reaching into 12 communities total. What makes The Salem Pantry special is how they’ve reimagined food assistance to meet people where they are, literally and figuratively.

Beyond Shelf-Stable: A Focus on Nutrition

One detail that particularly impressed us was the breakdown of what The Salem Pantry distributes. Of the 2.7 million pounds distributed through direct services:

• 37% was fresh produce (1,001,500 pounds)
• 33% pantry staples (890,600 pounds)
• 14% dairy and eggs (369,550 pounds)
• 10% protein (271,855 pounds)
• 4% bread and pastries (39,115 pounds)
• 2% other items (104,930 pounds)

This isn’t just about providing calories—it’s about providing nutrition. The emphasis on fresh produce and protein demonstrates their commitment to food as a foundation for health and well-being.

Innovation in Action: Three Pillars of Service

The Market: Dignity in Food Access

• 7,270 families served in 2024
• 50% increase in visits from 2023 to 2024
• Designed to feel like your neighborhood grocery store

The Salem Pantry understands a fundamental aspect of human dignity: how we receive help matters as much as the help itself. Their Market doesn’t feel like charity—it feels like community.

Mobile Pantry Program: Meeting People Where They Are

• 585 stops made by The Truck in 2024
• 2,450 families served through mobile services
• Fresh food delivered directly to neighborhoods

This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about dismantling barriers. When transportation, work schedules, or mobility challenges make accessing food assistance difficult, the Salem Pantry brings the solution to you.

Home Delivery: Supporting Our Most Vulnerable Neighbors

• 2,240 deliveries made in 2024
• Weekly support for homebound community members

Some of our neighbors are unable to access a food pantry or even the mobile truck. The Salem Pantry ensures that physical limitations never mean going hungry.

The Hub: Strengthening the Entire Regional Food Network

Perhaps most impressive is how The Salem Pantry thinks beyond its direct services. Their Food Distribution Hub demonstrates the kind of collaborative thinking we love to see:

697,000 pounds of food distributed to 18 partner agencies across 12 communities

In partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank, they’ve created a sophisticated food storage and distribution warehouse featuring refrigerated and freezer storage, as well as fully operational loading docks. This infrastructure doesn’t just serve The Salem Pantry—it strengthens the food safety net for the entire region.

Recognition Where It’s Due: 2024 Award Recipients

The Impact Breakfast also celebrated the community partners, volunteers, and leaders who make this work possible:

• Volunteer of the Year: Joe Markarian
• Business Partner of the Year: A & J King Artisan Bakers
• Community Partner of the Year: Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital
• Leadership Award: Bonnie Henry

These awards remind us that food security is truly a community effort—from the individual volunteers who show up week after week, to local businesses that see community partnership as part of their mission, to healthcare institutions that understand that food is medicine.

Leadership That Gets It

The morning’s speakers painted a picture of both remarkable achievement and honest acknowledgment of the challenges ahead.

Mayor Dominick Pangallo opened with a striking statistic that puts The Salem Pantry’s reach into perspective: they have “directly served nearly 1 in 5 households in the city of Salem in the last year.” As he noted, “there are not many other organizations or even city and governmental entities that have touched that many households to provide that kind of possible impact.”

State Senator Joan Lovely, a member of the Food System Task Force at the State House, emphasized the broader context: “We see this impact all over our state, all over the country, especially with concerns from Washington on funding that the food banks are counting on.” Her words highlighted both the critical need for organizations like The Salem Pantry and the uncertain funding landscape they navigate.

Christina Peretti from The Greater Boston Food Bank walked through the year’s remarkable achievements, including a 61% increase in food distribution and the successful merger with North Shore Moving Market, which ensured that longstanding home delivery services continued uninterrupted. She also announced The Salem Pantry’s recognition as Community Partner of the Year by The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Executive Director Robyn Burns provided perhaps the most powerful moment of the morning, balancing celebration with candid reality: “The past 6 months have been very challenging as we try to continue all of the wonderful services and meet all the needs in our community… It’s pretty tough out there right now.” She spoke directly about “shifting federal policies, the loss of grant funding, reductions in state aid, and threats to cuts to critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid.”

Yet Burns’ message wasn’t one of despair—it was one of resilience and community partnership: “We’re still looking at innovating and growing and collaborating… we’re so grateful to so many people in the room… food partners, distribution partners, host site partners, and so many volunteers. Thank you for standing with us, believing in our mission, and helping us to build a healthier, more nourished North Shore.”

Why This Matters to Creative Collective

As we work to build vibrant, inclusive communities across Essex County and the North Shore, organizations like The Salem Pantry remind us that creativity and community aren’t just about arts and culture—they’re about reimagining how we take care of each other.

Robyn Burns’ honest acknowledgment of current challenges—”shifting federal policies, the loss of grant funding, and threats to cuts to critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid”—underscores why community-rooted organizations are more crucial than ever. When federal and state support becomes uncertain, local innovation and partnership become the difference between thriving and just surviving.

The Salem Pantry’s approach demonstrates several principles we champion:

Innovation in Service: They’ve completely rethought what food assistance can look like, creating multiple access points that meet different community needs—from the grocery store-style Market to mobile pantry services to home delivery.

Dignity-Centered Design: Every program is designed with respect for the people it serves. As Mayor Pangallo noted, they provide access to food “in a way that is dignified and provides [people] with the ability to live their lives in success and prosperity.”

Regional Collaboration: Rather than working in isolation, they’ve built infrastructure that strengthens the entire North Shore food network, supporting 18 partner organizations across 12 communities.

Community Partnership: From A & J King Artisan Bakers to Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital, they understand that lasting change requires diverse partnerships. The same principle drives our work supporting local creatives and small businesses.

When people don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from, they have the mental and emotional space to engage in their communities, pursue creative endeavors, and support local businesses. Food security isn’t separate from community vibrancy—it’s foundational to it.

The Bigger Picture

In their 2024 Impact Report, Executive Director Robyn Burns and Board Chair Sean Monahan note the challenges ahead: “shifting federal policies, the loss of key grant funding, and the threat of cuts to critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid.” Yet their commitment remains unwavering.

This resilience in the face of uncertainty, this determination to continue serving regardless of external challenges—this is the kind of community leadership that makes the North Shore stronger. North Shore food security. 

Moving Forward Together

The Salem Pantry’s 2nd Annual Impact Breakfast wasn’t just a celebration—it was a call to action. As Senator Lovely reminded us, this work cannot function without community support: “Over 1,000 volunteers show up every week, every month to be able to distribute and package food to those in need.”

Events like this don’t just celebrate past achievements—they remind us that building thriving communities requires the collective effort of all of us. Whether you’re a local business looking for meaningful partnership opportunities (like award winner A & J King Artisan Bakers), a healthcare institution understanding that food is medicine (like Community Partner of the Year Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital), or simply someone who believes our neighbors shouldn’t go hungry, there are ways to get involved.

The Salem Pantry‘s work proves that when we combine innovation, compassion, and collaboration, we can tackle even our most persistent challenges. As Robyn Burns concluded, despite the challenges ahead, they remain committed to “innovating and growing and collaborating” to build “a healthier, more nourished North Shore.”

That’s the kind of community building that Creative Collective is proud to support and celebrate.

Ready to Get Involved?

The Salem Pantry offers multiple ways to support their mission:

• Volunteer opportunities: Over 1,100 community members contributed 10,010 hours in 2024
• Financial support: Join their Sustaining Circle with monthly or quarterly donations
• Food partnerships: They work with dozens of local farms, bakeries, and food businesses
• Host site partnerships: Help bring mobile pantry services to your community

Want to learn more about The Salem Pantry? Visit their website at thesalempantry.org. Their complete audited financials are available at thesalempantry.org/impact-financials. North Shore food security

And if you’re interested in how Creative Collective supports community-building organizations across the North Shore, we’d love to connect with you.

Event Details:

• Event: The Salem Pantry’s 2nd Annual Impact Breakfast
• Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025
• Speakers: Sean Monahan (Board Chair), Christina Peretti (The Greater Boston Food Bank), Joan Lovely (Massachusetts State Senator), Robyn Burns (Executive Director)
• Presented by: SalemFive Charitable Foundation and Salem Harbor Station
• Award Recipients: Joe Markarian (Volunteer of the Year), A & J King Artisan Bakers (Business Partner of the Year), Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital (Community Partner of the Year), Bonnie Henry (Leadership Award)

Creative Collective was proud to attend this event as supporters of community-building organizations across Essex County and the North Shore. We believe that when we strengthen the foundation of community care—like food security—we create the conditions for creativity, entrepreneurship, and local economic vitality to flourish.

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