We Need Your Help!

The Dedham Food Pantry has experienced a significant increase in the cost of food and the number of clients. However, the pantry does not receive any funds from the state or town. It depends entirely on donations.

We are extremely appreciative of all donations, no matter how big or small!

How to donate:

1) Call 781-326-2107 to pledge a donation during the telethon

2) Come to the telethon to make a live, on-air donation

3) Mail a donation to Dedham Food Pantry: P.O. Box 46 Dedham, MA 02027

Dedham Food Pantry’s Hosts Annual Volunteer Appreciation Night  

All  volunteers and supporters of the Dedham Food Pantry are cordially invited to join us on Wednesday, September 21^st from 7pm-9pm at the Dedham Community House, 671 High Street, Dedham.  We are extremely grateful for the time, resources and support that you have provided during this past year and it is now time for us to give back to you!  In addition to  food and refreshments, there will be a brief highlight of the past year’s events and installation of the new board of trustees.  Please RSVP to Cindy Barich at cindyb@uwinc.com or 781-329-0555.

Our motto is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” and to learn more please visit www.dedhamfoodpantry.org.

Any questions please contact Lindsay at lindsayb@uwinc.com or call 781-706-0537

DEDHAM’S FEED THE NEED 5K

Benefiting the Dedham Food Pantry

5K Walk/Run on June 4th at 8:30 a.m. at St. Luke’s Church located at 950 East St., Dedham, MA.

The entry fee is 25 cans of food or $20.00 and to find out more please visit www.feedtheneed.org.

Medals for the top 3 finishers in each age group!

The first 100 registrants receive a free Feed the Need T-shirt

Please contact St. Luke’s Church for any questions or email Brian Rogal at BrianRogal@aol.com from the Dedham Food Pantry or you can  just show up the day of the race.

NORWOOD, Mass., — November 10, 2010 – National Amusements, Inc., a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating more than 950 screens in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Russia, kicks-off the 12th year of Holiday Classics, a five-week holiday program offering movie-goers free admission to a classic holiday film with a donation of a non-perishable food item to the Cinema DeLux at Legacy Place which will benefit the Dedham Food Pantry.
 
The program is particularly important this year because the economic downturn has caused demand for food aid to greatly increase, putting stress on food pantries to feed the hungry.  National Amusements patrons have contributed more than 100,000 pounds of food since the inception of the program in 1999. This year, the company challenges patrons to bring friends and neighbors to enjoy these classic films and to help increase the much-needed food supply.
 
The classic film series runs every Saturday at 10:00 am from November 20 to December 18 at select National Amusements theatres.  Guests should bring their non-perishable food items to the box office of their local theatre for free admission to the movie.
 
Following is the Holiday Classics film schedule:
 
November 20 – Disney’s A Christmas Carol (PG, 98 minutes)
November 27 – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (PG-13, 97 minutes)
December 4 – It’s a Wonderful Life (NR, 129 minutes)
December 11 – Scrooged (PG-13, 101 minutes)
December 18 – White Christmas (NR, 120 minutes)
 
 The Pantry appreciates this kind gesture and we hope the community takes advantage of the great opportunity for families to enjoy these Holiday Classics!

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day because it jump starts your metabolism and gives you energy. Choosing healthy foods to eat in the morning can really get your day off on the right foot but it is easier said than done. Most of us don’t have enough time to prepare a fully balanced, healthy meal in the morning, but cereal can be a quick option. With hundreds of boxes in the cereal aisle, picking a healthy one can be a daunting task.   

When checking out cereal packages there are a few key items to look for.  Generally, the high fiber and low-added-sugar cereals are the best.  Read the Nutrition Facts label and try to pick a cereal that has less than 9 grams of sugar (cereals with dried fruit will have more sugar and that is okay!) per serving and more than 3 grams of fiber per serving.   Also, look for “Made with Whole Grains” on the box or ‘whole wheat’ or ‘whole grain’ on the ingredient list.  This means the cereal is less processed and has more fiber.  Try Kellogg’s All Bran Original, Cheerios, Life, Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries, Kashi GoLean Original or Quaker Instant Oatmeal Apple and Cinnamon. Any of these cereals with skim or 1% milk and a few berries or sliced bananas will add extra sweetness!  

Don’t like cereal but want a quick, healthy option? Try a whole grain English muffin with peanut butter!

 Bridget Mahoney, Simmons College

2ND ANNUAL TRIVIA NIGHT FRIDAY OCTOBER 1ST Location: American Legion Hall at 7:30 P.M. Match wits with Dedham celeberties as well as the not yet famous for a great cause! Funds raised will benefit the Dedham Food Pantry. All donations to the food pantry gladly accepted at the door. Check the “Wish List’ section on the website to see the suggested items that are in need. This is a great way to get the community together to support the pantry and we have tables of neighbors, book groups, schools, and business associates reserving for a fun filled night! There will be “raffle prizes” and food and the cost is $25.00 per person. To learn more visit the “Meeting Notice” section on the website.

“NEIGHBOR’S HELPING NEIGHBORS”

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT

The Dedham Food Pantry cordially invites all volunteers, past, present and future, to join us at the Dedham Community House on September 15th at 7 pm for the Dedham Food Pantry Volunteer Appreciation Night.

We are extremely grateful for all the time, resources, and support that you have provided. Your donations, weekly volunteering, and your tremendous assistance with the move to our new location are truly valued and appreciated. The Food Pantry is able to assist the families of Dedham  because of your generous assistance.

Now it is time for us to give back to you! We will be serving food and refreshments and will highlight the main events of the past year and will give special thanks to you-to the individuals and groups that help the Dedham Food Pantry thrive.

Please feel free to bring guests and to bring any suggestions for improvement.  Our motto is Neighbors Helping Neighbors and we are honored to thank the best Neighbors anyone could ask for!

The Dedham Community House is located at 70 Bullard Street (the corner of Bullard Street and High Street) in Dedham Square. http://www.dedhamcommunityhouse.org/

Please RSVP (either way) to Cindy Barich at 781-329-0555 or via email cindyb@uwinc.com.

If you’re bringing guests please let us know the number of people in your group. If you’re unable to attend, but would like to receive emails about upcoming events, please let us know and we will happily add you to our email list!

Dedham, MA, (August 25, 2010) – The Grainger Foundation, Lake Forest, Illinois, has donated $5,000 to The Dedham Food Pantry in support of its mission to help end hunger within the community in which it serves.

“This donation helps us extend our mission of providing food to the hungry in Dedham,” said Lindsay Barich, Vice President, Dedham Food Pantry. “Our organization serves more than 200 local families. We are grateful to The Grainger Foundation for its generosity.”

This donation was recommended by Paul McManus, Branch Manager of W.W. Grainger, Inc.’s Norwood location. Grainger has been a part of the Norwood – Dedham business community for more than 30 years as the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating products. “We are proud to recommend the programs offered by The Dedham Food Pantry,” said McManus. “We understand the importance of partnering with organizations such as Dedham Food Pantry to help curb hunger in our area.”

The Grainger Foundation, established in 1949 by William Wallace Grainger, founder of W.W. Grainger, Inc., has provided substantive support to a broad range of organizations including museums and educational, medical, and human services institutions.

For further information about The Dedham Food Pantry contact:

Lynn Rogal, President 781-320-9442, phone, or Lindsay Barich, Vice President, cell# 781-706-0537

The food pantry was very fortunate a few weeks ago to receive a call from Roland Solorzano the manager of the Yard House restaurant located at Legacy Place who had a problem. Apparently a supplier had delivered their meats frozen which the Yard House standards do not allow and Roland thought of the food pantry as a likely candidate to donate them to. We are all very greatful for this generous donation and all our clients were “extremely surprised” when they opened the freezers on Saturday which is our clients shopping day. A special thank you to trustee Karen King who picked up all the steaks in one trip to bring them to the pantry.

The Dedham Food Pantry has located a new home on the ground level of the Dedham Plaza, 600 Washington Street.  The Board of Trustees is grateful to Federal Realty Investment Trust for generously making space available. It also is very appreciative of the kind hospitality offered by St. John United Methodist Church over the past twenty years.

Research shows that every year, the average US household throws away 470 pounds of food. What can we do to change this? Here are some tips and recipes on how to make the most of your food dollars and how to transform leftovers and old recipes into new, flavorful and quick meals.

Save money with what you eat:

• Avoid Restaurants – eating at a restaurant can be an “on occasion treat”. Usually the choices are not the healthiest, the portions are out of control and it can be pretty pricey. Cooking at home can save you a lot of money, and you have more control over the ingredients you are feeding your body.

• Always make a grocery list and stick to it. The grocery list should be based on the planned meals you will have during the week – sit down and think about meals you would like to prepare of the week. Make sure your grocery list includes all of the ingredients you need to make all these foods. Factor in healthy snacks and things to pack in lunches for work or school. Take a look in your pantry or fridge before you make your list, you may have more ingredients than you think you do.

• Be willing to travel to the store with the lowest prices – When you get the store flyers on Friday afternoons, don’t throw them away, save them so that you can review them when time allows. If you are sitting with a cup of coffee look over the competing supermarkets and see which one offers you the best prices on foods you were planning to buy. 

• Don’t shop when you are hungry, you will be more likely to buy things that you really don’t need or want.

• Set a grocery budget – Take a look at your weekly finances and ask your self how much you can afford to spend on food. Once you set a price, stick to it!

• Eat food that is economical but also nutritionally sound. Some examples are beans, grains, fruits and vegetables that are in season and on sale.

• Use coupons! Although this can be time consuming, clipping coupons can result in significant savings. 

Fix up regular old fashion recipes by adding new ingredients.  Pancake mix fix up – Using regular ‘just add water’ pancake mix, adding these simple ingredients can make them more exciting, still keeping to your budget of course.

Blueberries
Strawberries
Bananas
Pineapple tidbits
Granola
Nuts
Chocolate chips
Shredded coconut
Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries)
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract
My Pantry – What you should always have on hand to save money in the long run. If you start out by doing one really big shopping trip and fill your pantry with these essentials, you will always have food/meals on hand and will save money in the long run.

You can use home cooked dried beans instead of canned beans in any recipe. They can stay in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Bean and Tortilla Soup – this super cheap recipes cooks in about 30 minutes. Its authentic Mexican flavors will be a great surprise for a week night.

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup red beans, already cooked (defrosted if frozen)
1 cup black beans, already cooked (defrosted if frozen)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup frozen corn kernels
2 tsp taco seasoning
1 can vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup Mexican blend cheese
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Fresh lime
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and allow cooking until tender. Add the red and black beans, the tomatoes with their juice, garlic and corn. Add the taco seasoning and stir to blend. Add the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with topping of crushed chips, squeeze of lime, 1 tablespoon cilantro and cheese.
Lentils and Rice – When you have the lentils on hand and already cooked, the recipe take about 15 minutes to prepare. A healthy, low fat and satisfying meal for a busy weeknight.

1 ½ cups long-grain rice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion
1 large green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans or stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
3 cups lentils, already cooked (defrosted if frozen)
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the rice, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tsp of oil. Add the onion and bell pepper stirring occasionally until tender. Add garlic, tomatoes and their juice, and the Italian seasoning in the skillet. When hot, add the lentils and the remaining 2 tsp on oil. Cook until lentils are heated through. Season with salt and black pepper and serve over the hot rice.

What to do with leftover white rice:

MAY 2010

 The Dedham Girl Scout Troop# 74589 recently donated 20 cases of Girl Scout Cookies to the Dedham Food Pantry.  We are very grateful to troop leaders Beth Lewman and Jodi Shair for organizing and donating the cookies!.  Pictured here are several members of the troop - Jacque, Samantha, Sidney, Karen, Olivia, and Alyssa – carrying in the cookies. On behalf of the DFP clients, THANK YOU!

Kings Lanes recently sponsored a night to honor 5 of the Dedham area non profit organizations by donating $2000 to each group.

The non profit organizations where the: Dedham Food Pantry, Dedham Square Cirlcle, Dedham Youth Little League, Mother Brook Neighborhood Alliance, and Dedham Community House.

The Dedham Food Pantry is very greatfull for this donation that will be used to purchase food for the many families in need.

This is another great example of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” in the town of Dedham!

Lynn Rogal, President is seen here is Joshua Rossmeisl, G.Mgr. of Kings and Frank Stryjewski, COO of Kings

It is our pleasure to donate $361.00 to such a wonderful organization.

Once a month in our Westwood office, we have what we refer to as a Charitable Casual Friday.  For the privilege of dressing casual, you must donate $1.00 to charity.  Every month a different charity is chosen.  The charity chosen for the month of December 2009 was the Dedham Food Pantry.

 We hope this donation will help to provide some needed staples for the pantry.  The services that you provide for the community is so important, especially during these difficult financial times.  We thank you for all that you do and look forward to our continued partnership with the Dedham Food Pantry.

Andrea J. O’Rourke