Food insecurity leaving an impact across MA

FRANKLIN, Mass. — Alison Caruso left her part-time job earlier in 2020 to care for her teenage son, who she said had become depressed after the death of a family member and spending months trying to learn from home. She relies on the food pantry in Franklin as well as food stamps to survive, she said.

The state has seen food insecurity rise significantly, according to a study by Feeding America.

Norfolk County was cited as the area with the highest child food insecure rate at 163%, which is also the country’s highest mark, according to Feeding America.

“I’m sad; it hurts my heart to know that there are kids who don’t have food,” said Lynn Calling, a mother and the executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry.

The pantry has not had to turn people away, Calling said, but the demand keeps rising, up 20% during the pandemic compared to before it.

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The Greater Boston Food Bank, which supplies Franklin’s food pantry, among many others, has distributed more than 100 million pounds of food this year, nearly 60% above the same time a year ago, according to a spokesperson.

“It’s uncertain with the rent moratorium and mortgage moratoriums coming to an end soon. We’re really worried what that means for the pantry,” Calling said.

Franklin’s pantry allows people to come every week for food pickups but at times puts less into each food package to make their supplies last. While children are reportedly a group largely affected by this, there are a lot of Franklin youth trying to help them.

Saturday, as Boston 25 News was about to interview Calling, a teenage boy delivered a donation check. Calling said Franklin youth began collecting food and later creating a Food Elves fundraiser 15 years ago.

Of late, they collected $75,000 for the food pantry; the goal, she said, was $30,000.

Cox Media Group