The East Boston YMCA on Bremen Street announced on Monday that it has partnered with the City of Boston and East Boston-based Project Bread to expand its daily food distribution site to include meals for adults.
The staff at the YMCA already handed out 1,000 meals to adults on Monday and Tuesday.
“The “Y’ is proud to partner with the City of Boston and Project Bread to expand our meal offerings to make sure the whole household is taken care of,” said East Boston ‘Y’ Executive Director Joe Gaeta. “The demand for food is increasing in East Boston as the crisis continues, we are seeing more and more families show up for meals and grocery bags every day. We are working together as one community to address food disparities as much as we can.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh said the East Boston Y joins five other meal sites across Boston that were only serving food to children and youth while school is closed.
“We are working every day to meet the needs of Boston’s residents: our young people and our seniors; our homeless and vulnerable residents; our essential workers and first responders; and everyone in our city,” said Mayor Walsh. “No person should go hungry while we are fighting this pandemic, which is why it is so important that we make food resources available to all of our residents who may need it.”
The East Boston Y’s food distribution site for adults is located at 215 Bremen St., East Boston and will distribute meals to adults from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In addition to expanding food sites to adults and special shopping hours for seniors at grocery stores Mayor Walsh said food delivery and home-delivered meals may be an option for individuals age 60 and older who are unable to leave their homes. Older residents can find a food distribution location near them here and are encouraged to call 311 or the Age Strong Commission at (617) 635-4366 for more information.
Residents can visit boston.gov/covid19foodmap to find food resources for all residents, including youth meal sites, food pantries, and more. For information on accessing SNAP and WIC benefits and food pantries information, residents are asked to connect with Project Bread at 1 (800) 645-8333. If someone cannot access food due to mobility, illness, or quarantine, they are encouraged to connect with the Mayor’s Office of Food Access at (617) 635-3717 or [email protected].