Wakefield Town Council Meeting, March 25, 2024
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — To help the Wakefield Food Pantry (WFP) address growing need in the community, the Town Council approved the organization’s request to place a storage trailer behind the Americal Civic Center. The Food Pantry’s offices and store are located in the Civic Center.
Executive Director Maureen Miller appeared before the Town Council last week along with Food Pantry Board members Rose Finn and Steve Doherty.
Miller told the Town Council that since 2021, there has been a 55 percent increase in Food Pantry visits. Over that same period, there has been a 25 percent decrease in donations to the Food Pantry and a 165 percent increase in food costs due to inflation.
Miller said that the Greater Boston Food Bank had been supplying the build of the food for the Wakefield Food Pantry, but recent labor and staffing issues have resulted in less food and less variety from the GBFB, forcing the WFP to purchase more of its supplies from retail stores. Miller said that a part-time development director has been hired to work on these long-term issues.
Miller added that the Wakefield Food Pantry is now serving over 200 more households than it was in 2021, with the total number of households projected to reach 700 by the end of the year.
Rose Finn reviewed some of the Food Pantry’s outreach and external programs, such as the Senior Mobile Pantries, the Galvin Middle School Pantry, after-school snack bins and veterans supplements.
It was noted that demand continues to be strong for the Food Pantry’s services, although stigma is a big obstacle preventing many from coming forward for the assistance they need.
Storage has been a big challenge in coping with the increasing demand. Food Pantry treasurer Steve Doherty presented the request to place a storage trailer behind the Civic Center. The proposed 40×8 foot trailer would double the Food Pantry’s current storage space, he said. A Peabody company has been contacted and could custom fit the trailer, which the Food Pantry would like to have in place by mid-May. The trailer would be climate controlled and the Food Pantry would bring in a refrigerator or two.
Doherty said that Civic Center director Dan McGrath has no problem with the placement of the trailer behind the building.
Town Councilor Edward Dombroski noted that the American Civic Center is a historic building and he wanted to make sure that any trailer would respect that. Doherty said that they could use a brick color scheme to blend into the building.
Town Councilor Jonathan Chines said that the trailer also presented an opportunity for “public art” and suggested contacting the school art departments.
The Town Council voted unanimously to approve the Food Pantry’s request to install a storage trailer.
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In other business last week, the Town Council:
- Granted a one-day liquor license for the 2024 “Blossoms at the Beebe” event on April 27 at Lucius Beebe memorial Library.
- Approved a livery license for A Class Limousine.
- Approved a Common Victualler license for AA Sumo, Inc.
