Press Release
Contact: Caroline Pelletier, Development
The Charity Guild
Phone: 774-240-0904
Email: caroline@thecharityguild.org
Local Brockton Food Pantry Programs Commemorate Four Years of the Brockton Area Hunger Network Cooperative Intake Program
July 2024 – BAHN Coop partners proudly announce the fourth anniversary of the Brockton Area Hunger Network (BAHN) Cooperative Intake Program an innovative initiative to transform and empower our fight against food insecurity in the Greater Brockton Area This milestone marks continued progress in addressing the unique challenges faced by our community
In late 2020, Mayor Robert Sullivan’s office received a call from Beth Israel Lahey Health with a potential grant funding opportunity for nonprofits addressing food insecurity Koren Cappiello, previously with the mayor’s office and now with Brockton Public Schools, initiated a cross-agency discussion focused on food insecurity and asked The Charity Guild’s executive director, Laura Striese, to facilitate the roundtable The discussion focused on formulating an innovative strategy to combat food insecurity in Brockton
The Charity Guild proposed a cross-agency program to unify the client intake processes and give our programs the ability to gather a deeper understanding of food insecurity specifically in Brockton. While very broad Massachusetts-wide food insecurity survey results are available, our BAHN Cooperative Program enables our programs to collaboratively address the specific needs and challenges of the Brockton community.
As we enter into the fourth year of the program, it is our understanding that the BAHN Cooperative is the first initiative of its kind in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The BAHN Cooperative Intake Team includes (alphabetically):
● Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South
● Brockton Public Schools
● Catholic Charities South
● The Charity Guild
● Father Bill’s & MainSpring
● Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
● Massasoit Community College
● Salvation Army Brockton
Utilizing a shared intake software system (Your Market), we have streamlined the client intake process with “BAHN cards,” significantly reducing wait times, better connecting community members to local food programs, and giving clients more time for their daily needs.
Our monthly BAHN Coop meetings allow us to coordinate food pantry hours, maximize our budgets, and connect with additional resources. With rising food costs being an ever-present and significant challenge, our coordinated efforts are more crucial than ever.
Since January 2023, Brockton has seen a substantial increase in food insecurity, driven by factors such as job loss, homelessness, inflation, and an influx of new families from Ecuador, Guatemala, Cape Verde and Haiti Addressing food insecurity in Brockton is a community-wide effort that no single agency can tackle alone, and charitable foundation financial support is vital to our programs and success
Beth Israel Lahey Health's initial funding was instrumental in piloting this multi-year program At the same time, BILH also funded a hydroponic Freight Farm at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South’s Brockton Clubhouse The fresh produce grown in the Freight Farm is donated to nearly two dozen food pantries in the Greater Brockton area, including all member agencies of the BAHN Cooperative Intake program
In March 2024, Liberty Mutual Insurance recognized our Cooperative Intake Program efforts with a $100,000 grant from Liberty Mutual Foundation, distributed equally among our partner agencies to purchase food. The Charity Guild applied for and administers these funds on behalf of the BAHN Cooperative Intake Program Partners.
Nancy Kasen, VP for Community Benefits and Community Relations at Beth Israel Lahey Health, stated, "Congratulations to the Brockton Area Hunger Network on their recent award from Liberty Mutual Foundation. Three years ago, Beth Israel Lahey Health invested in a community-led process in Brockton to bring the Your Market database system to the Network. BILH made this investment to support these agency partners in their efforts to better understand and better address the true need in the Brockton community regarding food insecurity. We are thrilled that this program has helped the Network leverage more funding to benefit and sustain the partnership and address food insecurity in Brockton."
As we celebrate the years of impactful work, all BAHN Coop partners remain dedicated to alleviating food insecurity in Brockton. It is our hope that our cooperative approach serves as a merited model for other communities, proving that collaboration, cooperative intake strategies, and strong community support can make a significant difference.
For more information on the BAHN Cooperative and how you can support our cooperative efforts, please visit wwwcharityguild org or contact Laura Striese, Charity Guild Executive Director
About The Charity Guild:
Serving the Greater Brockton area for 53 years, The Charity Guild remains dedicated to and continues our commitment to providing food and support services to our residents and neighbors in need. Through innovative community programs and strong partnerships, our focus is on addressing the root causes of food insecurity and building a healthier, more resilient community for the benefit of everyone.
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