Food Pantry looks to better serve those in need

Food Pantry looks to better serve those in need

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer

News staff photo by Eryn Dion
Council on Aging Director Bethany Loveless, above left, and Food Pantry Coordinator Dot McKellick, above right, at the front desk of Templeton’s Food Pantry, located on 3 Elm Street, Baldwinville.

TEMPLETON — In an effort to better serve the community, Templeton’s Food Pantry will now be opened the second Saturday of each month.

Council on Aging Director Bethany Loveless said the new hours are a push to reach those who could not pick up orders at the pantry during the weekday.

“We don’t know how it will go yet,” Ms. Loveless explained. “But, we know there are people who have to work Monday to Friday who are still struggling.” 


Due to being opened on Saturday, the pantry will stop opening on the second Thursday of every month.

Tucked away in an alley off Elm Street between the old fire station and Village Pizza, Pantry Coordinator Dot McKellick and her husband, faithfully serve needy families around Templeton and Phillipston.

Despite their location, their operation is not a small one. According to Ms. Loveless, the pantry has provided food to 121 area households since July and serves an average of 70 seniors and 60 adults in a month.

In the 10 years the pantry has been active, the number of struggling families has only increased — with 135 households also receiving assistance from school and police department drives this holiday season.

While the economy has certainly taken its toll on the area, said Ms. McKellick, a surprising number of organizations have held fundraisers to benefit the pantry and help those in need.

“Donations have been excellent,” said Ms. McKellick.

The shelves are well stocked with canned and dry goods, while the pantry’s seven freezers and two refrigerators are stuffed with frozen bread and meat.

Food donations go straight to the shelves and when reserves are low, cash donations are used to place bulk orders to the Market Basket in Rindge N.H., who the pantry has a longstanding relationship with.

“That Market Basket has been very good to us,” Ms. McKellick said. “They make sure to substitute items that are on sale so we can get as much as possible.”

Several local businesses also donate to the pantry, such as The Kitchen Garden, which donates numerous items from their day-old freezer.

Drop boxes in the post office, senior center and in area churches can be used to make individual contributions. Perishable items can be brought directly to the pantry and monetary donations can be made to the Council on Aging or the Friends of the Templeton Elders.

In addition to the hours change, Ms. Loveless is also excited about the new senior center, slated for an early spring opening. The food pantry, run by the town’s Council on Aging, hopes to find a new home within the facility. The move will put the pantry within walking distance of senior homes and allow for better accessibility and awareness.

“We are looking forward to our new building, which is under construction, because it will truly bring together both of these important services under one roof,” said Ms. Loveless.

Currently the pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is now closed the second Thursday of the month. There is no fee or income restriction to use their services — residents can simply come by and fill out an intake form.  Volunteers are always welcome and those interested can visit during open hours.