Volunteer Newsletter – October/November 2025
I’m sure it is evident that the Center has been extremely busy these past 6 weeks. Client applications increased from 94 new clients during this same period last year to over 200 this year!
Along with new clients, we have had a surge in volunteer applications. More than 30 prospective volunteers have been invited and have taken part in the NSC orientation and tour of the pantry these past weeks. Many have already filled in for an open shift! We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated, amazing volunteer team! Welcome, all new volunteers!
The monetary and food donations are also at an all-time high. There are so many food drives benefiting the Survival Center we can just about keep up. Not a bad problem to have. And not to forget our sister pantry in Goshen, they have also been thriving and receiving lots of food donations for our Hilltown Clients! We are starting Quality Control training here at our Northampton location for those interested in helping sort and check all community-donated food items before it is offered to clients. Let me know if you’re interested in finding out more.
Just a few of our recent donors!
Florence Bank, Bardwell Farm, Smith College, Northampton Neighbors, and Young at Heart Chorus. PeoplesBank, Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity, Northampton Police Department, Academy of Music, Northampton High School, L3_Harris, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department, Packaging Corporation of America. 4 more donation drives are arriving next Tuesday- so many more food options and items for our clients!
We had a team of NSC volunteers participate in the annual NEF Spelling Bee on October 22nd. We didn’t take home the trophy, but it’s always lots of fun and raises money for a good cause.
We also held our annual Board Meeting in late October, and kudos all around to the tremendous support and encouragement we receive from our board members throughout the year.
This morning, Alexander, our Assistant Program Director, and Heidi, our ED, were on WHMP talking about the recent SNAP fiasco and how it has affected our current clients and propelled others in need of help to reach out to us. They also gave a huge shout-out to our volunteers who not only donate their time but also money, food, and toiletries too.
You may have noticed the installation of lockers outside our warehouse. In our continuing resolve to offer food to as many in need as possible, easily and efficiently, we have established a program to begin in January where clients who can’t access food from us during our regular hours will be able to place orders and pick up at their convenience. More details to follow.
Starting in January, we will be receiving 2 new vans so we can expand our current Weekly Fresh Van Program to include Tuesdays now, as well as Thursdays. This will now allow all our Tuesday clients who currently receive prebagged produce to choose the produce items they want and can use.
Our Pantry Fresh Kit was once again a huge hit with clients-
Stuffed Autumn Squash– hundreds of pounds of fresh squash have been donated from Crimson & Clover. The rice, chick peas, and dried cranberries were secured from the Food Bank and we purchased the fresh garlic, lemon, and feta cheese to finish off the recipe.
Check out our archived recipes here:
https://www.northamptonsurvival.org/pantry/fresh/
Volunteer Spotlight:
Heather Kasunick. I am a resident of Florence, an artist, an art educator, a volunteer at Northampton Survival Center (most Friday afternoons as a personal shopper) and am part of the planning committee for a new Florence summertime event: Flo Fest!
Flo Fest is a community-powered celebration in the heart of Florence, Massachusetts. Emerging from the spirit of togetherness, Flo Fest brings neighbors, families, artists, and local businesses together to celebrate what makes the Silk City thrive: creativity, connection, and collaboration! We aim to activate Main Street into a vibrant, walkable festival filled with live music, interactive art, activities for all ages, and the best of our local food, drink, and small businesses.
The next one is scheduled for September 2026
If you’d like to learn more about Flo Fest, please check out our website, Instagram, and Facebook.
In early November, Heather participated in Open Studios at Arts & Industry in Florence. She made over 150 drawings, and a percentage of her sales was donated to the Survival Center. There are some lovely drawings at my desk which can be used for gift cards/tags so please help yourself to one.
Staff Highlight: Xio joined us 4 weeks ago as the Client Care and Delivery Coordinator, and she is learning the ropes and engaging with volunteers and clients at a quick speed. Xio worked in bus dispatch for years for the Springfield Public Schools, coordinating hundreds of buses, drivers, and routes every morning. Plus baggage handling for JetBlue for over a decade (in her off hours). Another staff person who keeps busy!
We are so grateful to be fully staffed again.
October Volunteer Anniversaries:
Kay A 12 years
Karen B 8 years
Rich P 8 years
Terri H 6 years
Jim D 4 years
Judy F 4 years
Howie S 4 years
Nancy G 3 years
Tim B 2 years
Laura C 2 years
Paul S 2 years
Lawrence G 1 year
Rich R 1 year
Dina R 1 year
November Volunteer Anniversaries:
James M 15 years
Lynn I 10 years
Rob R 9 years
Howie B 9 years
Andree A 2 years
Paul K 2 years
Jonathan L 2 years
Judi W 2 years
Mary Ann R 1 year
David S 1 year
Helene W * 1 year
*not to be confused with our other Helene W who has been with us for more than 4 years
Thanks for reading along and till next time….
To all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving I hope it is a cherished one.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy
Diane Drohan
Volunteer Manager
Northampton Survival CenterVolunteer feedback/Suggestion Box