The Merrimack Valley Food Bank is a community-supported 501C-3 non-profit organization that provides nutritious food and personal care items to emergency feeding programs serving the low-income, homeless and hungry. We are one of four food banks in Massachusetts that serves food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, day and residential programs that in turn, serve individuals and families.

The focus of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank is to help meet a person’s most profound need — adequate nutrition and freedom from hunger. Only through cooperative efforts can society initiate change develop strategies to alleviate hunger and work toward the well being of all people.

It is a basic human need to have adequate access to an environment conducive to well-being, which includes food, shelter and clothing. For most of us, food is readily available at nearby stores. The ease with which food can be acquired can make us take for granted how vital food is to our well-being.

1991 — Lowell Food Bank Formed at Middlesex Shelter
            (NKA Lowell Transitional Living Center)

1993 — Merrimack Valley Food Bank incorporated as 501(C)C-3,
            non profit organization, serving 6 member agencies
            (Food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, day and
             residential programs)

1995 — Lowell Fruit Co. donates 13,000 sq ft building at 735 Broadway
            Street, Lowell, MA

1999 — Office and food storage space added to 2nd floor, adopted
            Food Rescue Program from M/A-Com Food Share, Inc

2004 — Mobile Pantry and Summer Lunch programs merged with MVFB
            from M/A-Com Food Share

2005 — First Executive Director, Irene Reagan retires, and Assistant Director,
            Amy Pessia promoted to Executive Director. Nearly 1.7 million
            pounds of food distributed through 95 member agencies

2007 — Nearly 2.2 million pounds of food distributed through a network of
            100 member agencies in 25 communities

2008 — MVFB celebrates 15 years of service to member agencies in Lowell,
            Merrimack Valley, North Shore and parts of NH

2011 — Distributed nearly 3 million pounds of food, added a new
            program to target hunger in Lowell elementary, middle and
            high schools. Increased capacity to distribute more food
            by purchasing property at 733 Broadway Street.

1) Food Distribution Program operates a food distribution center where
    member agencies select nutritious, ethnically appropriate food two days
    a week to be distributed to low-income individuals and families. Food is
    donated by food manufacturers, distributors, supermarkets, local farmers,
    and the community.

2) Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP)
    distributes food purchased by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to
    member agencies serving low-income individuals and families.

3) Emergency Food Assistance Program (USDA/TEFAP) distributes food
    purchased by the federal government to qualified member agencies
    serving low-income individuals and families. The USDA program provides
    large quantities of nutritious food through the federal government’s
    bulk purchases.

4) Guy Francesshelli Food Rescue Program - MVFB operates a 16-foot
    refrigerator truck that picks up prepared and perishable foods from area
    supermarkets three days a week and delivers the food directly to pantries,
    soup kitchens, and shelters in Greater Lowell and Lawrence free of charge.
    The program is named in honor of a MVFB volunteer who lost his life in
    an auto accident.

5) Nutrition and Safe Food Handling Education Program provides valuable
    information to our member agencies regarding safe transportation, storage,
    and handling of food.

6) Mobile Pantry Program is a community-based health and nutrition service
    program that delivers groceries to homebound, low income elderly
    and disabled people in greater Lowell.

7) Summer Lunch Program provides an average of 7,000 nutritional lunches
    to low-income children in Lowell in conjunction with sponsored activities.

8) Community Market - a seasonal program (July - November) offering
    fresh, locally grown produce to low-income Lowell residents of a
    specific neighborhood.

9) Operation Nourish is a pilot program starting in September 2011 that
    provides supplemental food to pre-K through 4th grade students at a
    Lowell school for weekends and school vacations when they are not
    in school to receive free and/or reduced lunch and breakfast.

From Route 3 North and South:
— Take the Route 495 North/Lowell Connector Exit and follow the
    signs to the Connector.
— Take the Connector to the Exit 5B - Thorndike Street.
— On Thorndike, continue through 4 lights and turn left at the 5th light
    onto Broadway Street.
— Continue on Broadway through two lights, and we are on the right,
    after you drive over the small bridge, past the brown stockade fence.
— We are directly across from Yim’s Variety Store and in the same
    building as Lowell Fruit Company.

From Route 495 North and South:
— Follow signs to Exit 36 - Route 3/Lowell Connector.
— Take the Lowell Connector to Exit 5B - Thorndike Street.
— On Thorndike, continue through 4 lights and turn left at the 5th light
    onto Broadway Street.
— Continue on Broadway through two lights, and we are on the right,
    after you drive over the small bridge, past the brown stockade fence.
— We are directly across from Yim’s Variety Store and in the same
    building as Lowell Fruit Company.