The United Way of Tri-County announced this week that it received a welcome appetizer ahead of a busy Thanksgiving — a $500,000 grant to support its hunger programs.

United Way volunteers on Tuesday distributed Thanksgiving meals and six or seven bags of groceries to people served by the Park Street-based organization. As volunteers worked through a steady rain, staffers from both the United Way and the Greater Boston Food Bank announced the funding.

The $500,000 grant from the Food Bank will allow the United Way of Tri-County to launch a mobile food pantry; fund the purchase of vehicles (and in turn eliminate the need to lease trucks); and acquire additional equipment and supplies for the food pantry and meal programs.

Along with United Way and Food Bank executives, U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass.: State Attorney General Andrea Campbell; and state Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, were on hand for the announcement.

“This grant allows the United Way to double down and is an example of two outstanding organizations working together to help the people of the Commonwealth to strive toward a Commonweath where everyone has access to fresh food and no one is hungry,” Spilka said.  

United Way of Tri-County President and CEO Paul Mina celebrated the landing of a grant during a press conference.

"I challenge anyone to find an area that has so many high-level important people coming to do the right thing and advocate for people who cannot advocate for themselves," he said.

Along with the announcement of the funding, a staff of about 65 volunteers distributed groceries and Thanksgiving meals. Bob Moran, chair of the United Way of Tri-County's board of directors, said the organization would serve about 1,500 families ahead of Thanksgiving.

Greater Boston Food Bank Chief Operating Officer Cheryl Schondek said that 1 in 3 Massachusetts residents will wonder where their next meal is coming from sometime in the next year. She praised the United Way for serving its clients with “compassion, dignity and respect.”  

"Because of the support of so many of you, the United Way of Tri-County is doing something about the hunger crisis — not just here in Framingham but in the surrounding communities," she said.

Local, state officials celebrate new funding for United Way

Local and state politicians and charity executives said that although Massachusetts leads the nation in many categories, hunger remains a problem.

“This is how Bay Staters watch out for each other,” said Clark, whose 5th Congressional District includes Framingham. “The work we’re doing around Thanksgiving is just the tip of the iceberg. This is ongoing every day, every year, making sure that we are meeting the needs until we eliminate this scourge of hunger here at home.”

Campbell also praised the United Way's work of giving out meals for Thanksgiving, saying that her team, along with the United Way and Food Bank, are not about talk, but action.

“As we all celebrate Thanksgiving, we can think of no better place to be than here in the community,” she said. “It’s a tough time for our families and it’s not just when it comes to food insecurity, but what lies ahead here.”

Last year, the United Way of Tri-County provided food for 81,024 individuals from 28,481 homes, according to the organization. Among the individuals, 3,381 were new to the area. The United Way also provided 134,368 hot meals to local children and families.

The $500,000 grant will span over three years to fund capacity-building enhancements set to increase United Way of Tri-County's ability to serve more clients, distribute more food and assist underserved communities.

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Original story HERE.