Help for Our Community

Hands with Heart imageWellesley is a community that works together to support and assist each other. If you need help, the following list of individuals and resources are available to everyone. Whether you need help with essential supplies, food insecurity, or aid for families, senior citizens, students, or individuals with disabilities, in Wellesley, you will always find people who are helping.

Gift Card Donations. Gift cards in small amounts, suggested $25, to local grocery stores (Roche Bros., Market Basket, Shaw's/Star Market, Trader Joe's) and local restaurants can help individuals struggling with food insecurity. If you would like to donate gift cards for our community, you may deliver them to the Wellesley Police Department (485 Washington Street) and drop them in the secure collection box. 

SNAP Information

More than one million people in Massachusetts, and 700 here in Wellesley, rely on additional food assistance. These are our neighbors and fellow residents. During the current SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) funding uncertainty, there are a number of resources available to the public. For SNAP updates and a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), please go to the State website for the most current information.  

Town of Wellesley Resources

 Social Workers can assist with access to food and other resources. Please contact: 

Project Bread Hotline 

Can’t afford enough food? Let’s chat.  Call: 800-645-8333 
Hotline is staffed on Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. AND Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Mass 2-1-1

Dialing 2-1-1 connects you to a free, confidential hotline that provides information and referrals to for a wide range of health and human services, as well as emergency assistance. This service is available 24/7 and can assist with needs like food, housing, utility bills, and disaster recovery information. 

Local Food Assistance & Essential Supplies

Wellesley Food Pantry (https://wellesleyfoodpantry.org/)
207 Washington Street, Wellesley - 781-235-1188

The Food Pantry’s mission is to provide supplemental and emergency food assistance to our Wellesley neighbors.

Food Pantry hours: 

  • By appointment only Tuesday afternoons, 1:45 p.m.  to 4:45pm 
  • 2nd Tuesday of each month 5:15 to 6:45pm

Note: The pantry is closed on the 5th Tuesday of each month.

To use the Food Pantry, please complete and submit the following online registration form. You will also need to provide (upload) current proof of residency (lease or utilities bill) and income verification (SSI, DTA, etc.).
Registration link: https://wellesleyfoodpantry.org/get-help/

A Place to Turn (https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org/booking)
99 Hartford Street, Natick - 508-655-8868

Pantry Hours:

  • Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM 
  • Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 AM -12:30 PM

Make an appointment - https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org/calendly

A Simple Process with Dignity. We keep things easy—make an appointment, bring proof of address, and access the food you need. Our friendly, trilingual staff are here to help, and our volunteers are ready to guide you through the process.  The towns that A Place To Turn currently serves are: Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Marlborough, Medfield, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, and Weston.

Click on a date and choose a time to schedule an appointment to shop at the pantry.  You may only receive food once every 30 days.  Proof of address must be provided.

Newton Community Freedge (https://newtonfoodpantry.org/get-involved/newton-freedge/)
420 Watertown Street, Newton

The Newton Community freedge is open all day, every day at 420 Watertown Street. This volunteer-led initiative, operated by the Newton Food Pantry.  The freedge is located in the parking lot of Central Drapery and Dry Cleaning in Nonantum. The freedge is stocked multiple times a day, every day, with a variety of foods, including fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, breads, rice, pasta, beans, eggs, milk, peanut butter, prepared foods and much more! Please take ONLY what you need today and leave the rest for your neighbors.

Centre Street Food Pantry - Newton ( https://www.centrestfoodpantry.org/)
11 Homer Street, Newton Centre - 617-340-9554

Pantry Hours:

Tuesday  (registered clients only)

  • 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (Seniors 65+ only)
  • 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm (by appointment)
  • 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm (no appointment needed, first come, first served)
  • 5:00pm - 5:45pm (by appointment)

Third Saturday of the month

  • 10:00am - 12:00 pm Noon (registered clients, first come, first served)

We operate a convenient curbside model to get groceries. We give groceries in amounts according to your family size. Every week we try to have fresh produce, milk, bread, frozen proteins, pantry items and personal care products available.

 How to Register

  • We need your name, address, contact information, and the names and ages of the people in your family.
  • At your first visit, please bring a recent document or identification that includes your name and current address. This information is needed to confirm that you currently live in one of the communities we serve.

Celebration International Church (https://cicalive.org/foodpantry/)
6 Loker Street, Wayland - 508-653-6864

Pantry Hours:

  • 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from  7 PM – 8 PM
  • Saturday following the 3rd Thursday from 9 AM – 10 AM

Serves the people of MetroWest by providing groceries in a time of need.

If you are enduring through unemployment, a financial hardship, a disability or something similar, we would like to help. Certain qualifications may apply per our partnership agreements with our suppliers, however we encourage you to apply. We are committed to maintaining a confidential environment and look forward to serving you

Sudbury Food Pantry (https://www.sudburyfoodpantry.org/pick-up-food/ )
534 Boston Post Road, Wayland - 978-443-7725

Pantry Hours: Tuesday & Friday 12 pm – 2:15 pm.

New clients (who have never visited the Sudbury Food Pantry) also need to complete a Registration form (English, Spanish, and Portuguese). This form can be printed from the link or can be obtained when you arrive at your scheduled time. Once registered, you will be given a Pantry ID # and card. Please bring this card each time you visit the Pantry in the future.

Please sign up for a time to pick up food using Sign up Genius. You should leave the SFP ID # blank (you will receive an ID # on your first visit to use for future sign up times). If you cannot sign up for a time, please arrive at 1:30 PM, and every effort will be made to accommodate you, although there might be a lengthy wait time.

How to Pick Up Food at the Pantry

To sign up for food pickup, please visit our scheduling page by clicking here. This will take you to a website called SignUpGenius, where you will choose an available day and time for you to pick up food. You do not need to have a SignUpGenius account to use this application and instructions for using the system are included on the top of the SignUpGenius page.

Note that each sign up is for only 1 client (1 Sudbury Food Pantry ID number). If you wish to carpool with another client, that client must be signed up for that same 15 minute time slot. Please arrive at the pantry on your scheduled day & time. Volunteers will check you in and give you a Shopping List for you to complete, if you haven’t arrived with a completed list. The volunteers will then direct you to drive up to the window, where other volunteers will hand you bags of food, according to your Shopping List preferences, for you to load into your car.

Clients may shop at the Pantry twice per calendar month.

Additional Resources

The Community Foundation for MetroWest has compiled a list of additional resources throughout MetroWest Boston. Explore that resource list on the Community Foundation website.