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    • The “Share a Plate” charity project feeds the needy; food insecurity worsens
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    The “Share a Plate” charity project feeds the needy; food insecurity worsens

    Pabio Posted on

    Akanksha Goyal
    | Boston University Statehouse Program

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    Sarah Provencher spent Thanksgiving differently this year. Instead of enjoying a holiday meal with her family, she dedicated the day to cooking for the community. And she hopes to be able to do the same on Christmas Eve.

    Although the holiday season brings joy to some, many in Fall River struggle with the stress of putting food on the table. Faced with such challenges, residents across the city are mobilizing to ensure that no one goes hungry.

    Inspired by her upbringing in a large family where food leftovers were plentiful, Provencher recently launched a grassroots initiative pairing volunteers with people to share home-cooked meals during the holidays.

    Calling the initiative “Share a Plate,” Provencher’s idea focuses on just that. She sees the effort as a chance to connect the community and spread kindness through sharing meals.

    Despite planning a small-scale initiative, demand for Thanksgiving quickly exceeded what Provencher and the four other volunteers had anticipated.

    “Everyone put in 110 percent and gave up their Thanksgiving just to give back to the community,” she said.

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    “It means more to me to give this away”

    As requests poured in throughout the day, Provencher even chose to forgo his own turkey after his supplies ran out, choosing instead to cook it for others.

    With only her husband and son at her side, while the rest of her family resides in England, she considered cooking for the community the closest thing to preparing a large meal for her loved ones.

    “It means more to me to give this away than to sit there and eat it, knowing there are people who have gone without it,” she said.

    Together, the five good Samaritans distributed more than 40 meals to residents of Fall River, but also to a single mother in New Bedford.

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    No eligibility requirements

    Unlike many food assistance programs that often have strict eligibility requirements, this initiative operates without questions of income or need.

    Provencher, recognizing that obstacles are not limited to financial difficulties, wanted no one to be excluded due to circumstances.

    She designed this effort to address changing societal dynamics, including potential discomfort with communal dining post-pandemic and evolving poverty. Provencher once had to make a choice between buying essential medicines or food for her family, and she said she firmly believes that neither talent nor education can protect against bad luck.

    “I have two degrees, but that didn’t stop me from becoming poor and needing help from the community,” she says.

    She also took into account practical challenges such as limited cooking capacity, lack of heating or the desire to avoid preparing long meals for those who might feel isolated or overwhelmed by the festive period.

    Food insecurity is increasing across the state

    This initiative comes as food insecurity continues to grow in Massachusetts.

    High grocery costs and the end of COVID-19 relief policies have left one in three people in the state struggling to afford food each month in 2023, according to a new report from the Greater Boston Food Bank.

    It also acknowledges that nearly half of Bristol County households face food insecurity, making the region one of the hardest hit in the state.

    However, despite growing needs, community resources remain resilient.

    St. Anne’s Food Pantry, which typically serves about 200 families per week, has seen demand increase by an additional 20 to 30 families each week over the past two months, according to director Phil Gregoire.

    He attributes the increase to rising food prices, but notes that the pantry has not experienced shortages, thanks in part to local churches holding food drives this time of year.

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    Raising the bar for Christmas

    Although many organizations organized meals for the community during the holidays, the overwhelming response to Provencher’s initiative demonstrated that the need was even greater.

    Even though the information was announced a few days in advance, the number of requests far exceeded what Provencher and the volunteers were able to provide.

    “It was really disappointing not to be able to achieve everything,” Provencher said. “I felt guilty.”

    Having learned from this experience, Provencher wants to be better prepared for Christmas, although she does not know if she will be able to repeat the competition. By planning a more organized effort, she hopes to raise money and secure the resources needed to meet the high demand.

    Provencher said she is in the process of creating a Share a Plate Facebook page.

    “We tried to raise money or get food donations,” she said.

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