Residential Requirements

Clients must live in one of our eighteen service communities. On your first visit to pick up food from the Center, it is helpful if you can bring proof of residence for everyone in your household.  We request that you bring these documents on an annual basis.

Chesterfield*, Cummington*, Easthampton, Florence, Goshen*, Hadley, Hatfield, Haydenville*, Huntington*, Leeds, Middlefield*, Northampton, Plainfield*, South Hadley, Southampton, Westhampton*, Williamsburg*, Worthington*

*Clients living in these ten hilltowns have the option of visiting our Hilltown Pantry in Goshen, MA instead of our location in Northampton, MA. Clients may choose whichever location is more convenient for them; however, they must choose only one.

If you do not live in one of the 18 communities above, we are happy to help you find a food pantry in your own community.  You can also find other pantries and food resources by visiting The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts website.

Income Eligibility

While we are not a government agency, we follow the eligibility guidelines set by the USDA. These guidelines are current for July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

Over the years, we have been able to develop several robust programs which go above and beyond our mission. We are still working hard to maintain meaningful and important programming, but with COVID-19 it has meant that some of our work might look a little different. The programs listed below are currently available at the Northampton Pantry location.

Pantry Fresh

Welcome to Pantry Fresh, a program of the Northampton Survival Center modeled after popular meal kit services. Every month, clients can pick up a prepackaged meal prep kit that contains a recipe and the ingredients to make it. And anyone who wants to cook along with us can find the recipes right here on our website. Click here to see our recipes!

Kids’ Summer Food Program

During the summer months, the Northampton Survival Center’s Kids’ Summer Food Program provides eligible children with free food packages to help feed them breakfast and lunch every weekday for ten weeks during summer vacation. Children living in any of the 18 communities in our service area who receive free or subsidized meals through their school are eligible to receive this food.

Every eligible child receives groceries including grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein. Families pick up food for the Kids’ Summer Food Program during our usual pantry hours at the same time that they are getting their regular package of groceries. Both our Northampton and Goshen locations distribute Kids’ Summer Food Program packages.

Abundance Farm

The Pick Your Own Community Harvest Program at Abundance Farm is an amazing opportunity for our clients to pick their own vegetables, herbs, and flowers in the garden planted for sharing with the community at Northampton Survival Center.  Abundance Farm is a collaborative initiative of Congregation B’nai Israel, Lander Grinspoon Academy, and the Northampton Survival Center.

The Pick Your Own program at Abundance Farm is a community harvest event that happens twice a week throughout the growing season. Guided by Jewish agricultural values of justice, dignity, and abundance, community members from all walks of life- children from the partnering schools, neighbors biking along the bike path, clients from the Northampton Survival Center, college students, synagogue members, and more to come to the Farm, partake in the harvest, enjoy food together, and spend time on the Land.

Pick Your Own takes place every Monday from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm and Thursday from 3:00 – 6:00 pm from June through October.

Fresh Dairy Program

Beginning in March 2013, a popular Fresh Dairy Program replaced powdered milk with fresh milk from Our Family Farms, a local dairy cooperative.  For this effort we’ve secured funding from an anonymous family foundation, and have brokered an excellent deal with the local dairy farmers through Our Family Farms who are grateful for steady stream of income from this order of hundreds of half-gallons each week.  Clients are thrilled because they all prefer fresh milk to powdered, and we know it supports area children in choosing to eat a nutritious breakfast of whole grain cereal and milk, rather than an easy-to-grab sugary alternative.

Thanksgiving

During the month of November, the Northampton Survival Center distributes additional traditional Thanksgiving items such as potatoes, cranberry and squash to each client family when they come in for their regular package of groceries.

Birthdays

Depending on availability, clients can pick up a cake or cake mix for their birthday when they pick up their regular package of groceries.

Map & Directions

Vehicle directions from Downtown Northampton, MA
Take State Street away from town until you reach a stop sign. Then turn Left onto Finn Street. Finn Street will end on Prospect Street, forcing you to turn right. The Center is about a quarter of a mile up the road. Watch for the Synagogue on your right, we are immediately after it. Look for our green sign with the orange carrot.

From Hadley, MA and Points Beyond
Starting on Route 9, cross the bridge and get into the right lane. At the light, take a right onto Damon Road. Go through the light at the intersection with King Street (which will put you on Bridge Road). At the next light, take a left onto Jackson Street. Follow Jackson all the way to the stop sign and turn left onto Prospect. The Center is just down the street on the left. Look for our green sign with the orange carrot.

From Easthampton, MA
Follow Route 10 into downtown Northampton. Go straight across the intersection with Main Street (Academy of Music will be on your right) onto State Street. Take State Street away from town until you reach a stop sign. (Continue with directions above.)

From Florence MA, The Hill Towns and Points North
After passing Cooley Dickinson Hospital, continue on, passing Child’s Park on your left. Immediately after Child’s Park, take a left onto Woodlawn. Follow Woodlawn to the stop sign. Turn right onto Prospect. The Center is just down the street on the left. Look for our green sign with the orange carrot.

The Northampton Survival Center is an Equal Opportunity provider. Northampton Survival Center es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.