SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – The Springfield Family Center (SFC) is excited to announce that, after an exhaustive search, we have found our new home. As we work to complete renovations, in the new year we will be moving to Shaw’s Plaza (formerly Precision Pools storefront). Our official opening announcement will be made once renovations are completed.
Since 1971, SFC has been able to connect individuals and families to charitable food resources with the gracious help of our community. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the community for supporting our mission to ensure every individual has the food they need to thrive.
Sadly, ongoing inflation and rising food costs continue to burden individuals and families who are struggling to make ends meet. Food insecurity must be treated as the urgent crisis it is. One in thee Springfield residents struggle with food insecurity. 52% of Vermont households report having to choose between purchasing food or paying their bills.
We share these humble words from a Springfield parent: “The experience of living with food insecurity – it’s embarrassing, it’s hurtful, it makes you feel less than a mom when you can’t feed your children. It takes a lot out of you to have to go and ask for help. Another thing about food insecurity is that people may not always look like you’d think they would look. They might be employed, they might be educated, they might be trying their best to pay their bills, but they can still be experiencing hunger. The Family Center shows me respect, kindness, and understanding.”
Springfield Family Center’s food shelf and hot meal programs provide sustenance and nutrition to those who would otherwise go hungry. Over the past fiscal year, the Springfield Family Center distributed 44,368 meals, 10,261 pounds of fresh produce, 7,051 loaves of bread, and 33,160 pounds of shelf stable food through 680 visits to the food shelf serving 1,263 people cumulatively. We also distributed 102 holiday themed boxes feeding over 300 people.
The Springfield Family Center is more than a food pantry. It is a vital and imperative part of our communities. SFC launched and stocked a small food pantry at Springfield Elementary School to remove stigma and reduce barriers to children receiving needed nutrition. This school pantry was accessed by 38 households over the course of the 2022-2023 school year.
SFC provides food boxes to both our community mental health organization, as well as our local housing programs. Over the course of the last fiscal year, SFC averaged 100 food boxes monthly to these constituents.
Springfield Family Center is collaborating with North Star Health through their lifestyle medicine program to introduce food as medicine for people living with chronic health issues. SFC provides food directly to medical care offices through North Star Health. This empowers physicians within this program to prescribe and distribute medically tailored meal kits directly at appointments.
During the Covid pandemic, SFC partnered with SEVCA and Chester Helping Hands to feed thousands of community members facing adversity utilizing local restaurants and Vermont food producers. Over the course of three years, this partnership brought nearly $3 million into our local economy to support restaurants, with 10% of this funding going directly to local farmers and food producers.
In collaboration with Senior Solutions and Chester Helping Hands, SFC helped to recruit JC’s Market and Deli to prepare healthy meals that are delivered weekly to 100 Meals on Wheels recipients in the Springfield community.
In partnership with Chester Helping Hands, Springfield Family Center helped to recruit JC’s Market and Deli to also provide locally made fresh meals to seniors participating in Springfield Area Adult Day program.
Through a grant from the Vermont foodbank, SFC purchases beef, pork, and eggs through local farmers for the food shelf and community meal programs. Small local businesses providing fresh meals to these programs foster a sense of community and stimulate our local economy.
Local support is key, and we at the Springfield Family Center take immense pride in working directly with our community.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our entire Springfield community for believing in our mission and for helping to support our vision in offering expanded programs and services. Together we truly can and do make a difference.