Monetary Donations

The First Church Stoneham Food Pantry relies on financial donations to help us meet the needs of Stoneham residents who need food. Our work would be impossible without donations from generous organizations, businesses and individuals.  

 

Monetary donations may be made by mail, in person, or through PayPal.  Just click the Donate button to send money through PayPal.

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Checks can be mailed or dropped off in person to:

First Congregational Church, 1 Church, Stoneham, MA 02180. Please write “food pantry” on the memo line.

 

Double Your Dollars

… through matching gifts.

You may be able to double your gift to the First Church Stoneham Food Pantry if you or your spouse work for a company with a matching gift program. 

1. Ask someone in your human resources or personnel office if your company has a matching gift program.

2. If your company matches employee gifts to human service agencies, get their matching gift form from your personnel office.

3. Fill out your company’s matching gift form and send it to us, along with your donation.

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Grocery Donations

We welcome donations of non-perishable, non-expired food items as well as household and personal care items. 

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Dropoff Hours:  Drop offs of small donations can generally be made Monday – Thursday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  Please bring your donations to the center set of double blue doors on the Church St side of the building (across from the gazebo on the Town Common) and ring the door bell.  For large donations, please call 781-438-0097 to schedule a drop off time.

 

In addition to the First Church Stoneham Pantry there are two other food donation drop-off sites in Stoneham.  Unexpired non-perishable items may be left at the following locations:

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• The UPS Store, 200 F Main St

• Stop & Shop, 259 Main St (on the shelving unit across from self checkout)

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As our needs change from week to week, we suggest that you visit our Amazon Wish List and our Walmart Wish List for lists of critically needed items. Purchases made online from these lists will be sent directly to the Pantry. 

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Food Drives: If you would like to hold a food drive on our behalf, please contact us to obtain a curated list of needed items and coordinate a delivery time. We try to avoid having multiple groups collecting the same items at the same time.

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WE NEED BAGS! Plastic, paper or reusable, we take them all.  But... they must be standard grocery bag sized, have handles, be clean and undamaged.

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Donation Guidelines and Suggestions

• NO damaged or expired products (check Best By date)

• NO unlabeled products or products removed from its original packaging

• NO repackaged or opened products

• NO homemade foods

• NO food or beverages containing alcohol

• NO vitamins, supplements and medications of any kind

• Donations of perishable and frozen foods must be preapproved by calling 781-438-0097

• Many of our clients have special dietary restrictions and require low sodium, low sugar, lactose free, and gluten free items.

• Personal care and household items such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, dish soap, and food wraps are much appreciated as clients cannot purchase those items with SNAP benefits.

• We have plenty of pasta, macaroni & cheese, light tuna fish, beans, and rice; no need to donate those.

• Consider donating your extra plastic bags. ​As long as they are clean and have handles, we will take them.

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