Franklin County Community Meals Program

This February, Franklin County Community Meals Program (FCCMP) is putting on their annual lunch bag collection drive. The Bonus Bag Brigade event’s goal is to engage the community in helping to keep the community fed!

This event is a lunch bag drive that provides supplemental meals to the Greenfield Community Meal site patrons who come for a hot meal. Each Wednesday FCCMP gives out 70-90 bagged lunches in addition to hundreds of hot meals at the Greenfield Community Meal site to ensure no one goes hungry when a community meal is unavailable. Many patrons benefit from having non-perishable foods available to supplement the community meals available throughout the week. Additionally, these bags provide a steady resource to the community when the community meals are not in operation. They are stored and made available at the Second Congregational Church as a resource that church administration can hand out to anyone who comes looking for a meal any time of day. 

This event is a fun and easy way for families and kids to get involved in their community. Families can help by joining the Bonus Bag Brigade. Shop, pack and deliver at least 10 bags on February 26th.  Great for kids who want to decorate the bags, for groups looking for something meaningful to do or for someone looking for a quick and easy way to give directly.

The Bonus Bag Brigade collection is on February 26th from 4-6 pm at the Second Congregational Church at 16 Court Square by the town common in Greenfield. 

When: Sunday, February 26th 4-6pm

Where: Greenfield’s Second Congregational Church at 16 Court Square next to Greenfield Town Hall

What: Make bagged lunches with non-perishable foods which can be stored without refrigeration.  Lunch bag suggestions (but feel free to be creative):

• Single serve cereal + breakfast bar + juice box
• Can of Chicken Noodle Soup + peanut butter crackers + cocoa
• Can of tuna + Sunchips + applesauce + juice box

The Franklin County Community Meals Program’s mission is to work in partnership with the community to alleviate hunger. 

FCCMP currently operates 4 free community meal sites

• Mondays 4-6 Our Lady of Peace 90 7th Street, Turners Falls
• Tuesday and Wednesday 4:45-5:45pm, Second Congregational Church 116 Court Square Orange Community Meal
• Thursday 5-5:30, Orange United Methodist Church 104 S. Main St, Orange. 
• 4th Thursday of the month 5-6pm: Northfield Trinitarian Congregational Church

In addition to these free community meals, they also operate two food pantries and a mobile food bank. 

For additional information on how to get involved or donate, contact Meghan Williams at 413-325-6631 |[email protected]

The Orange Food Pantry is open to the public on Thursdays from 10am-3pm, but there is a lot of prep and organizational work that happens throughout the week. We also deliver groceries on Fridays to those who cannot make it to the pantry.

We are looking for individuals to help serve our neighbors on Wednesday evening. Shift starts with set up at 3:30. Volunteers are expected to help with clean up and are asked to stay until 6:30pm.

Groups are invited to plan, prepare, and serve meals at any of our 4 community meal sites across Franklin County. Please contact our volunteer coordinator for details about volunteering as a group.