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Food is more than a meal. It provides nourishment, stability and the reassurance that someone cares.
At the Northern Middlesex YMCA, addressing food insecurity is one of the many ways we work with community partners to ensure that local children, teens and adults have the support they need to thrive.
Last year, the Y served more than 25,000 meals through our programs and services.
Throughout the summer, our collaboration with Middletown Public Schools helped ensure that children attending the Y’s Summer Enrichment Camp received a hot lunch each day. For families already balancing the rising costs of childcare, housing, groceries and other essentials, access to nutritious meals provides meaningful support while helping campers stay energized, engaged and ready to learn.
Grant funding also made it possible to provide food for teens during a back-to-school barbecue—creating an opportunity for young people to gather, enjoy a meal and strengthen their connections with peers and trusted Y staff. These welcoming experiences are part of the Y’s broader commitment to youth development, belonging and providing safe spaces where teens feel valued.
Our work to address food insecurity extends to the more than 60 men who reside at the Northern Middlesex YMCA. Because many residents have limited access to cooking facilities, donated food and prepared meals provide an important source of nourishment and stability.
The Peach Pit Foundation supports this work by helping the Y serve several home-style meals throughout the year. Community donations also keep our resident food pantry stocked with convenient food, snacks and other essentials.
Most recently, Candace Crane, the Y’s Vice President of Youth Development, accepted a generous food donation through the Middlesex United Way Pantry Project. The countywide initiative collects nonperishable food and distributes it directly to local pantries supporting people and families in need.
Every contribution helps strengthen the network of organizations working together to build a healthier and more resilient Middlesex County.
From a hot lunch at summer camp and a barbecue for local teens to a home-style meal and a stocked pantry for the men who call the Y home, these efforts reflect what is possible when a community comes together.
Help Working Families Thrive
You can help strengthen local families by supporting the Northern Middlesex YMCA’s Annual Giving Campaign. Donations to our Support Working Families initiative provide childcare scholarships that reduce a major household expense. With more room in their budgets, families can better afford groceries and other everyday essentials while their children learn, grow and belong in safe, enriching Y programs.
GIVE NOW
Help provide working families with support and financial breathing room needed to thrive.
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