From the Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) and The Salem Pantry are teaming up to address food insecurity on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Feeding Community is a joint initiative designed to raise awareness of food insecurity, secure essential funding, and recruit volunteers to support The Salem Pantry’s life-sustaining operations. PEM will enroll volunteers, collect food donations on site at the museum, and help distribute food to the community at the The Salem Pantry.
Through the month of December, financial contributions made to either PEM’s Annual Fund or The Salem Pantry will help unlock a donor’s generous challenge pledge of $20,000. Broad participation is a key component of this fundraising effort and once each organization receives 200 donations, the Feeding Community challenge gift will be distributed. Learn more at: pem.org/feedingcommunity
The Salem Pantry’s mission is to eradicate hunger in the Salem community by providing residents in need with nutritious foods in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. This year, demand for food has increased precipitously. The Salem Pantry is now serving 6 times more people than normal and anticipates distributing nearly 1 million pounds of food. “Amid a pandemic and record unemployment, food insecurity is an essential issue facing our communities and the need is dire,” said Robyn Burns, Executive Director of The Salem Pantry. “We are proud to partner with PEM to attack this issue head on and help inspire a new wave of community support and action.”
Feeding Community launches on Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving that takes place each year on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. PEM is reaching out to the museum’s passionate community of members, staff and volunteers to encourage financial, material and volunteer support. The initiative will continue through the month of December and the organizations will continue to partner well into the future.
“Feeding Community seeks to keep our community nourished and vibrant,” said Amanda Clark MacMullan, PEM’s Chief Philanthropy Officer. “This is a win-win partnership that helps strengthen our community by feeding the body and feeding the soul. Through creative collaboration with The Salem Pantry, we hope to help our neighbors find the nourishment and resources they need for themselves and their families.”
Want to join the effort? Here’s how you can help:
- Make a donation to The Salem Pantry and/or to PEM’s Annual Fund
- Sign up to volunteer at The Salem Pantry
- Donate non-perishable food items at PEM
- Amplify this project on social media using #FeedingCommunity
SHOP LOCAL! Support the small businesses that make up your community and are owned by your friends, neighbors, and fellow community members.
If you are a business and are interested in being part of this initiative please visit creativecollectivema.com/join and sign up for our comprehensive business program!
staylocallynn • #staylocalsalem • #staylocalpeabody • #staylocalbeverly • #staylocalmarblehead
We wanted to shine a spotlight on many of the small businesses that make up the fabric of our communities and support them as much as we can throughout the Winter.
Stay tuned to this event for information on businesses throughout the North shore. We will be highlighting the humans behind the small businesses, showcasing specials and promotions, and also curating experiences that will make your local shopping even better!A priority this year will be to educate consumers on the safety protocols that so many of our fantastic businesses have implemented in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
