Cambridge is a wealthy city in a wealthy state. Nonetheless, about 1 in 3 households in Massachusetts reported food insecurity last year, and surprisingly the proportion is the same in Cambridge. More than 3 million free meals are provided every year to those in need in Cambridge, indicating that a robust social safety net is as important locally as elsewhere.
While Cambridge nonprofits play a vital role in providing food for those in need, they will need more help as federal assistance is reduced.
The Republican-led Congress in Washington has threatened severe cuts to one of the largest safety net programs, Medicaid. Resistance to those cuts is intense, and speaker of the House Mike Johnson is reportedly opposed to including major cuts to Medicaid in the federal budget being considered. It is too soon to know what the final budget numbers will be, because the legislative process in Washington is likely to take place throughout the summer.
Major cuts have already been made to federal food and nutrition programs, such as slashing more than a billion dollars from U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that help food banks buy food from local suppliers. This reduction is already having nationwide impacts, as reported recently in The New York Times.
Additional cuts to federal safety net programs are being considered, such as a reduction of hundreds of billions of dollars in what used to be called food stamps, now the Snap program (which serves more than 1 million people in Massachusetts), as well as cuts to the Women, Infants, Children program. According to U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, if enacted these would be the largest cuts to nutritional assistance in American history.
In an interview with columnist and reporter Al Hunt, Robert Greenstein, founder of the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and an expert on federal programs, went further and said, “If the Republicans’ plans materialize for deep cuts in Medicaid, food stamps and other such programs, the result will be the largest increase in poverty, destitution and the ranks of the uninsured our country has ever seen.” Food-related problems would be magnified because food insecurity was increasing even before Trump’s election in 2024, according to research by the Greater Boston Food Bank. Additional cuts make the situation worse.
A Food Resource Guide from the city lists nine food pantries in Cambridge: the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee; St. James’s Episcopal Church; the Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church; East End House; St. Paul’s Parish; Cambridge Community Center; St. Paul AME Church; Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House; and Salvation Army. Demand is growing at Cambridge food pantries. For example, at CEOC about 200 families show up every day compared with 150 families a few months ago.
A dozen organizations provide free community meals: Faith Lutheran Church; Salvation Army; Harvard Square Churches Meal Program; Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church; St. Bartholomew’s/MIT Community Dinner; Hope Fellowship Church; Food Not Bombs; First Korean Church; Material Aid and Advocacy Program; First Church Cambridge; The Outdoor Church; Tuesday Meals at First Parish; and St. Peter’s Church.
There are several ways people can help the groups, Kara Baskin wrote recently in an article in The Boston Globe. Suggestions range from organizing a food drive to volunteering or contributing money.
The Cambridge Community Foundation recognizes the importance of providing access to food, and in 2023 started a Food Access and Security Initiative. In partnership with seven local nonprofits, the foundation announced an investment of about $1 million in grants.
Local support such as the foundation is providing is more important than ever. At the same time, preventing new cuts in federal food and nutrition programs would reduce the risk of increased food insecurity. A Northeast Regional Anti-Hunger Network consisting of Project Bread, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Mass Legal Services and other organizations in New England and New York held a Snap Day of Action on April 30. The goal was to raise awareness about potentially drastic cuts to Snap benefits and generate phone calls and emails from constituents to the congressional delegations in every Northeastern state, asking them to oppose all cuts.
The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute was a participant in the Snap Day of Action and leads the Massachusetts Snap Coalition in lobbying to fund food security programs in the state. The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative also promotes food security programs and has a webpage with information about how to advocate for these programs with the state Legislature.
At the federal level, one of the leading groups lobbying for food security programs is the Food Research and Action Center. That center has comprehensive information online about federal food and nutrition legislation and how to become an advocate for these programs.
Reductions in federal expenditures have significant implications for states, which are being asked to increase spending for a variety of programs previously paid for with federal dollars. Meanwhile, a large portion of proposed federal budget reduction affecting low-income people will likely be used by lawmakers in Washington to pay for tax cuts, including to benefit wealthy individuals.
As a result of changes under way in Washington, or that may soon be proposed, food insecurity is likely to increase and affect more people in Cambridge. For those who are concerned about the situation, there are many ways to help.
A stronger
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As Mr. Zucker points out, volunteers are critical to many food pantries and meal programs. While one-time volunteer opportunities abound, and can be a great way to try out the work and to compare programs, recurring helpers are especially valuable. Plus, returners tend to derive a lot more from their volunteerism than “plug and play” one-timers can experience. Find volunteer options that fit your interests and availability in the Cambridge Volunteers’ free online database: https://www.cambridgevolunteers.org/find-opportunities
I want to add to Andy’s robust list of nonprofits two organizations that serve all of them as “mother food pantries” and that rely heavily on volunteers: Food for Free (Somerville) and Food Link (Arlington).
Advocacy and financial support for nonprofit programs is essential, but volunteering is one thing that everyone can do to make a concrete difference to real people at a time when we feel powerless.
Please visit our website if you want to help in any way, and email info@cambridgevolunteers.org any time.
Thank you Andy for unpacking an especially cruel piece of the Trump administration’s master plan.
The closing of the Daily Table in Central Square was a devastating setback in the effort to meet the needs of food insecure families and individuals. Research shows that some 40%-50% of families do not/will not stand in food pantry lines for a variety of reasons. Cambridge cannot settle on and fund only food pantries and soup kitchens. Cambridge must help develop, support and advocate for affordable grocery stores and must provide affordable and reliable transportation to those stores that do exist. Whole Foods market, H Mart and Target do not meet the needs of the low income and working poor families living in the Port, Cambridgeport and Riverside neighborhoods.