|
FREE Weekend Food Program
for students in the Public Schools of Brookline Register your student to receive bags at at any Brookline K-8 school or Brookline Early Education Program location. Thrives bags are also available for pickup on Fridays from 5 – 6pm at these locations. No registration is required for in-person pickup. |
What is in a Thrives bag?
- Each Thrives bag contains two breakfast items, two lunch items, milk, fruit and snacks.
- One bag feeds one child.
- Thrives has a rotating menu, providing a little variety each week.
- Everything is shelf-stable, single-serve portions. Nothing needs to be refrigerated.
- Thrives can also accommodate most major food allergies and dietary restrictions.
How is Thrives different from School Meals?
Brookline Thrives is a program of the Brookline Food Pantry. We work in partnership with the Public Schools of Brookline and Brookline Food Services. Unlike school meals, Thrives does not receive federal reimbursement for meals. Thrives is 100% funded through grants and donations to the Brookline Food Pantry.
Why does Brookline need a weekend food program?
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has been real in Brookline. In the 2018-19 school year, 14% of all Brookline Public Schools students received free or reduced meals. School administrators believe the actual need is much higher. Economic disparity is rising within Brookline. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of households earning less than $15,000 per year or more than $100,000 per year increased, while the number of households earning between $15,000-$99,000 decreased. The struggle to meet basic needs, including food, has a direct impact on the academic performance of Brookline students.
How can I help?
Brookline Thrives is a volunteer-run organization and your help is appreciated. You can:
Donate – $360 feeds one student every weekend during the school year. Any amount is appreciated.
Volunteer - Many volunteer shifts are available. Sign up here!
How can I learn more or volunteer?
Contact us at thrives@brooklinefoodpantry.org or volunteer here.
- Bag packing - Organize and pack Thrives bags, readying them for delivery to schools. Packing shifts are Wednesdays from 9-10:30am, 5-6:30pm and 7-8:30pm, and Thursday mornings from 9-10:30am. Volunteers should be ready for some light lifting. The Thursday morning shift will also assist with loading bins into our truck for school deliveries. Packing occurs at 218 New Terrace Road, Brookline.
- School Deliveries - Uhaul Driver - Ready to show off your driving skills? Thrives uses a 10' UHaul truck to deliver our bins to schools and community locations. This shift involves picking up the truck at UHaul on Route 9 (next to the Audi dealership), driving to our place of operations at 218 New Terrace Road to load the truck, delivering bins to participating schools and community locations, picking up inventory at Brookline High School, returning to 218 to unload inventory and empty bins, then street parking the truck nearby. There are two delivery shifts: 9:30am - 1pm and 1-4pm. Most weeks, deliveries occur on Thursdays. If there is no school on a Thursday or Friday in a given week, delivery will happen on Wednesday. Ideally, this volunteer is a regular weekly volunteer. This is not a requirement, but does make logistics easier. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid driver's license.
- School Deliveries - 2nd Person - This volunteer rides in the UHaul truck, assisting with school deliveries. This shift involves meeting at 218 New Terrace Road to load the truck, delivering bins to participating schools and community locations, picking up inventory at Brookline High School, returning to 218 to unload inventory and empty bins. There are two delivery shifts: 9:30am - 1pm and 1-4pm. Most weeks, deliveries occur on Thursdays. If there is no school on a Thursday or Friday in a given week, delivery will happen on Wednesday.
- Inventory Unload - Volunteers are needed to unload our truck and put away inventory into 218. This shift is anticipated to occur bi-weekly on Thursdays from 4-5:30pm. It could take less time. Light lifting is expected.
- Bag Distribution (various locations) - Volunteers are needed to help deliver Thrives bags to classrooms at our participating schools and help hand out bags at our community locations. Volunteers are needed at various Brookline K-8 schools on Thursday afternoons from 3-3:30pm, with the exception of Friday mornings from 7-7:30am at Driscoll and Lincoln schools. Volunteers are also needed at the community rooms at 226 High Street and 55R Egmont Street from 5-6pm. Ideally, these volunteers can commit to a regular weekly shift. This is not a requirement, but does make logistics easier. In-school volunteers will be required to complete a CORI background check.
- Substitutes - We cannot stress enough the importance of having substitutes. Life happens, and sometimes a volunteer must cancel at the last minute. If a desired shift is full, please consider signing up as a sub. Substitutes should only report to a shift if contacted.
How can I learn more or volunteer?
Contact us at thrives@brooklinefoodpantry.org or volunteer here.