About

The goal of this project is to help all hunger organizations in Essex County get the supplies, funding and help they need to keep their doors open and serve those in need.

Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) serves the 720,000 residents in the 34 towns and cities northeast of Boston, Massachusetts by providing programs, education and grants to their nonprofit organizations. The Autumn of 2008 brought grim economic news and frightening statistics from the county's hunger organizations. Most saw a 30% increase in the number of new families needing services including many from previously middle income homes. ECCF Trustees challenged the staff to find a way to help the local hunger organizations ensure that no one went hungry in Essex County.

Over 60 organizations of all shapes and sizes supply food to those in need in our communities. Each is passionate about their work and dedicated to their clients. Many are run by volunteers working long hours to keep their shelves stocked with food. The four hunger networks that serve separate regions of the county help with communication between organizations but clearly the majority are so overwhelmed with demand that there is little time for coordination or sharing of resources. Members of the North Shore Hunger Network asked ECCF to create a collaborative website for all hunger organizations in Essex County to meet needs shared by all 60 organizations:

 

  • Provide clear, accurate, up-to-date information for clients, donors, volunteers and hunger organizations on the resources available in each of the 34 communities in Essex County.
  • Ensure that pantries and kitchens maintain consistent supplies of food throughout the year, including access to excess food.
  • Increase visibility for organizations to solicit the donations and volunteers they need and to promote events.
  • Provide an easy way for organizations to communicate and share resources.

 

The Nordstrom Company selected the Essex County Hunger Relief Project to be one of the beneficiaries of the Gala Opening of its new store at the Northshore Mall. The receipts from this event along with a grant from The Women's Fund of Essex County, have provided the seed money for this website. The Essex County Hunger Relief website is designed to be maintained by the organizations themselves.

All organizations have access to their profile on the website which then populates each field in the site.

ECCF's hunger project also supports the U.S. Letter Carrier's Annual Food Drive by donating bags that are delivered to residents in participating communities to fill with food for the letter carriers to distribute to local hunger relief organizations.

To support the work of the Essex County Hunger Relief project, please visit our Donation Page.

To learn more about Essex County Community Foundation, please visit our website www.eccf.org.

Thank You!

The administrator for the Essex County Hunger Relief website is Jonah Ruh. Please email her for questions or comments, j.ruh@eccf.org.