A sobering Boston Globe article published last week brought to light what many of us in the volunteer community already know: the issue of food insecurity persists across Greater Boston, and it’s hitting our neighbors harder than ever. According to The Greater Boston Food Bank, 1 in 3 adults in Eastern Massachusetts experienced food insecurity in 2024, the highest level the region has seen in over a decade. The faces of hunger are changing too. Families with working parents, students, and seniors are turning to food banks to meet basic needs.

At Boston Cares, we’re mobilizing volunteers every day to tackle this crisis head-on. Whether it’s sorting donations, distributing meals, or helping sustain community farms, our volunteers are making a tangible impact in the fight against hunger.

Here’s how you can help fight food insecurity with Boston Cares this summer:

• Volunteer at American Red Cross Food Pantry (Roxbury): This long-standing food pantry serves hundreds of families each week. Volunteers help set up the distribution area, pack grocery bags with nutritious food, and assist clients in a respectful, welcoming environment. This is one of our most high-impact, hands-on shifts.  Register here.
  
  
• Support the Fresh Truck Mobile Market (Multiple Locations) Fresh Truck brings affordable, healthy produce directly to Boston neighborhoods through its retrofitted school bus markets. At the Elm Hill site in Dorchester, for example, volunteers assist with unloading and setting up the mobile market, help customers shop, and ensure a welcoming experience for all.  Register for shifts in Hyde Park, South End, Charlestown and more.
  
  
• Assemble Food Donations at St. Paul AME Church Food Pantry (Cambridge): Join a dedicated team to unpack deliveries, sort groceries, and prepare food bags for local families. This pantry serves residents in The Port neighborhood and relies on volunteers to keep operations running smoothly each week. Register here.
  
  
• Prepare, Pack, and Distribute Meals for My Brother’s Table (Lynn): My Brother’s Table is the largest soup kitchen on the North Shore, serving over 1 million meals since 1982. Volunteers assist in meal preparation, packaging to-go meals, and distributing them to guests—all in a warm, welcoming setting. Register here.

What the Boston Globe article makes clear is this: food insecurity is not a far-off issue. It’s here in our neighborhoods, and it’s growing. But so is the movement to fight back. Boston Cares offers hundreds of flexible volunteer opportunities every month. Whether you have a free morning, a weekend to give, or want to volunteer regularly, there’s a role for you in this critical work.

Join us as we support our neighbors and tackle food insecurity together. Your hands, your time, and your energy can make a real difference. 
Explore our volunteer opportunities today.