Distribution Hours
Day | Office Hours | Outdoor Pantry Distribution Hours |
---|---|---|
Monday | 9 – 4 | 2 – 6 |
Tuesday | 9 – 4 | Closed |
Wednesday | 9 – 4 | 12 – 3 |
Thursday | 9 – 4 | Closed |
Friday | 9 – 4 | 12 – 3 |
Weekend | Closed | Closed |
265 Prospect Street
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 586-6564
Additional Pantry Information
Food Distribution Options
1. Curbside
Instead of coming to the center to select food by working with a volunteer, clients have the option of placing an order ahead of time using our online pantry and selecting a time for pickup. For more information about using our free online pantry and to see if this is a good option for you, click here. To sign up, call 413-586-6564 or email curbside@northamptonsurvival.org.
2. Outdoor Drive-Through Distribution
The Northampton Survival Center provides low-income residents of Hampshire County with nutritionally-balanced food every week. Our program is a “choice” program, which means that clients select the exact foods they bring home. Once a month, clients can choose from shelf stable items, dairy, meat, breads, and fresh fruits and vegetables, and on the other 3 weeks of the month, clients can pick up a smaller order of just the perishable items. We provide pet food and personal care items as they are available. You can come see us every week. It doesn’t need to be the same day every week.
The busiest time is at the beginning, and you might wait for 30 minutes or more in your car during this time. After the first hour it’s smoother sailing, with very little waiting. We have a volunteer directing traffic, so it will be clear what to do. We have enough for everyone. Our whole community is pitching in to make sure no one is hungry or worried about having enough food. Please don’t hesitate to come if you need help.
People tell us that it is easy, and that the people they talk to are nice. We try to make it as comfortable an experience for clients as possible. Not only will the system be efficient and safely socially distant, but you will also receive service with a smile. Everyone wears a mask, and you’ll be able to stay in your car. You can also come by foot, so long as you stay distant from others.
We are doing our best to ensure that food distribution is done in a safe, socially-distanced way. Our system is as efficient as possible while utilizing the lowest number of volunteers. Clients only get out of their car to load their groceries at a distance from staff and volunteers, and then leave. Our goal is to provide a safe, efficient system.
We are continuing to operate an outdoor, drive-through distribution system with volunteers working inside the building to create custom orders for each household while clients wait outside in their cars.
For detailed instructions on our outdoor distribution system, please click the link below. Available in Spanish and English.
Outdoor Distribution Parking Lot Instructions
3. Pre-Scheduled Delivery
We are currently offering home and site-specific delivery for clients. If you are interested in delivery, please call us or contact our Delivery and Care Coordinator, Heriberto, for more information. Call 413-586-6564 or email heriberto@northamptonsurvival.org
Am I Eligible?
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 one.
If you do not live in one of the 18 communities above, or if your income is over the guidelines listed below, you can receive an emergency box of food rather than our full selection of groceries. If you live outside our service area, 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, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
# of People In Household | Annual Gross Income | Monthly Gross Income | Weekly Gross Income |
1 | $37,650 | $3,138 | $724 |
2 | $51,100 | $4,258 | $983 |
3 | $64,550 | $5,379 | $1,241 |
4 | $78,000 | $6,500 | $1,500 |
5 | $91,450 | $7,621 | $1,759 |
6 | $104,900 | $8,742 | $2,017 |
7 | $118,350 | $9,863 | $2,276 |
8 | $131,800 | $10,983 | $2,535 |
Add | $13,450 | $1,121 | $259 per additional person |
Sign Up for Food
Our goal is to make signing up as easy as possible for all clients by offering multiple ways to get food. We also provide additional Spanish language support for clients.
- Come during outdoor distribution times.
When you arrive in the parking lot during distribution hours, let a volunteer know that you are new and they will give you an application. New clients will go through a brief intake at our outdoor window to determine eligibility, and then will leave with food. - Register in advance.
If you call before coming in, we can do a general intake with you over the phone so that you are already in our system when you arrive during distribution. We can be reached at 413-586-6564. - Explore distribution options.
Call or email the Center to explore options for our delivery or curbside programs. We can be reached at 413-586-6564 or email curbside@northamptonsurvival.org. - Need to have someone pick up for you?
Contact the Center to arrange.
Special Programs
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 and Directions
Map & Directions
The Center is served by the PVTA “S” Northampton Survival Center Shuttle.
The shuttle van runs from the Academy of Music bus stop to the Northampton Survival Center and back. Please click here for the schedule.
This van is operated by National Express for PVTA. If there are delays in service or other questions, please call National Express at 413-886-0430.
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 tun 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.
Client Calendar and Closings
Client Services Calendar
Click here to see our current client service calendar.
Severe Weather Closings
The Northampton Survival Center closes on any day that the Northampton Public Schools close due to inclement weather.
In the case of a public school delay, the Center will endeavor to open on time or as soon thereafter as safe and practical. When in doubt call ahead. For any closures, a notice will be posted on our homepage and on our voicemail. If we have a snow day, our schedule will remain the same for the rest of the week, no adjustments will be made to our pantry schedule.
Holiday Closings
The Center is closed weekends and on the following holidays (in 2024):
- New Year’s Day (Monday, January 1, 2024)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 15)
- Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 19)
- Patriot’s Day (Monday, April 15)
- Memorial Day (Monday, May 27)
- Juneteenth (Monday, June 19)
- Independence Day (Tuesday, July 4)
- Labor Day (Monday, September 2)
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Monday, October 14)
- Veteran’s Day (Friday, November 11)
- Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 28, & Friday, November 29)
- Christmas (Tuesday, December 24, & Wednesday, December 25)
- New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1, 2025)
Equal Opportunity Provider
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.