IMPORTANT: Changes Regarding COVID-19

To-Go Meals (along with snacks), Fresh Produce, and Bread. Distributed outside from our beautiful new shed. Daily, 12-3.

(Think of this as a combination of lunch, breakfast, snacks, and fresh food distribution all in one.) Freshly made hot lunches are packaged and distributed with an optional second lunch of a sandwich given. Produce is pre-packaged and given out one per person. Choices available for bread, sweets, and bonus items. No registration or residency requirements. Please bring your own bags. All are welcome!

Food Pantry is open. Daily, 12-3. Plus, 9-12 on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  Curbside Pickup is 3pm-4pm M, T, F, 5-7:30pm TH, and 9:30-11:30am every 3rd Saturday.

The Food Pantry is distributing pre-assembled groceries including lots of canned goods, grains, fresh milk, eggs, cheese, meat and produce as well as toiletries/hygiene products and pet food. While groceries are pre-assembled, please let us know your preferences for types of meat, dairy, toiletries, and any special requests.  Please do not bring your own bags. We are providing groceries in pre-packaged bags and boxes.

There are 3 options to get your groceries. 1) Onsite/in-person pick up (in the large main dining area): Shoppers are invited into the building a few at a time to ensure six feet of separation. You can pick up your own groceries, or designate someone else to pick them up on your behalf (such as a family member, neighbor, or case manager). 2) No-contact curbside pick up: You sign up ahead of time, and we deliver groceries to the trunk of your car at the Center. 3) Delivery: routes are limited and expanding. Email pantry@amherstsurvival.org for more information.  See Food Pantry for more information on how to register, and more detail on the options above about how to get your groceries. 

If you are sick (with anything), please stay home.

Call the Center or sign up for curbside pickup, and we will make arrangements to get food to you in the parking lot, have someone else pick it up for you, or deliver it to your home.  

A note about safety:

Masks are required for everyone on our property. We have extensive sanitation processes in place.  Safe food handling practices are being strictly adhered to. The above changes in our operations help ensure all guests and volunteers maintain the minimum 6 feet of separation while working and while accessing food.  

All staff and volunteers complete a COVID Self-Check each day to ensure they are healthy and are in compliance with statewide travel regulations. All staff and volunteers wash or sanitize their hands regularly. 

All guests/vendors/pantry shoppers will have their temperature screened before entering the building.   

The Community Store and Health Clinic are temporarily closed.

Community COVID Testing

Due to an unforeseen circumstance, COVID testing on 1/20 is cancelled. We are not yet sure if the Community Health Center will be able to resume testing onsite at ASC on 2/3 as planned. Anyone who signed up will be notified, and we are sharing this update onsite and distributing information about other testing options. We continue to be focused on the health of our whole community, and will continue to adhere to excellent COVID precautions onsite. Our website will be updated as soon as we have confirmation about 2/3.
We encourage all community members to get tested. Other local testing locations include:

• Holyoke Community College – Stop the Spread – https://www.hcc.edu/about/news-events-and-media/news-stories/covid-testing

• Community Health Center of Franklin County (Greenfield) – http://www.chcfc.org/testing.html OR call the Extended Testing hotline at (413) 325-8501

• MedExpress Urgent Care (Hadley) – https://www.medexpress.com/faqs.html

• UMass Amherst (Amherst) – https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/communitycovidtest

Our Commitment:

We are committed to making sure that we are able to continue to provide food to all those who need it. We recognize that many already low-wage workers are now unemployed. We know many families are missing out on school-provided meals while kids are learning from home. We know that neighbors who are undocumented have not been eligible for unemployment benefits. We know that many who depend on food from the Center are also those most vulnerable to illness. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we continue to provide meals and groceries to all who need them for the long haul, in as low-risk an environment as possible.

Thank you!

Thank you for your support, participation, and all you do as a member of our community. 

–Lev Ben-Ezra, Executive Director