PEABODY — Citizens Inn Haven from Hunger, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing hunger and homelessness on the North Shore, recently celebrated funding from M&T Bank for the naming rights to one of its food rescue trucks, with a ribbon cutting.
The Food Rescue Truck plays a critical role in Citizens Inn Haven from Hunger’s mission to rescue and redistribute fresh food to individuals and families in need throughout the community. The truck furthers the organization’s ability to collect surplus food from local grocery stores, restaurants, and farms, significantly increasing the volume of food delivered to the organization’s pantry, to keep up with the increased demand. The trucks will make two trips a week to the Greater Boston Food Bank, stopping in seven different communities along the route.
“Thanks to M&T Bank’s support of our food rescue program, we can recover and redistribute thousands of pounds of fresh, nutritious food each week to help our neighbors experiencing food insecurity,” said Melissa Gonzalez, executive director of Citizens Inn.
“We are proud to support Citizens Inn Haven from Hunger in their efforts to fight food insecurity and promote sustainability,” said Grace Lee, Eastern Massachusetts Regional President and Group Lead of New England Government Banking at M&T Bank. “This Food Rescue Truck is not just a vehicle; it’s a lifeline for so many people in our community, and we are honored to be part of this important initiative.”
The ribbon-cutting event was followed by a full-day of volunteering for M&T Bank employees.
Haven from Hunger serves between 1,250 and 1,500 households each month. In 2023, the food pantry received 27,312 visits from 2, 692 households made up of 5,565 individuals.