Our Story

The East Bay Food Pantry (EBFP) and its companion Thrift Shop were established in response to a growing need for assistance in the East Bay community that was identified by Pastor Daniel Barron Randall and the leadership of Bristol’s First Congregational Church. With support from the East Bay Community Development Corporation, state legislators, HUD, and the Town of Bristol, space was secured on the ground level of the Franklin Court Assisted Living building on Wood Street in Bristol (rent and utility free). Over 200 volunteers, including professionals in the construction trades, spent over 3,000 hours cleaning, painting and preparing the space for the August 2009 opening. The East Bay Food Pantry began serving the community in August 2009, and received 501(c)3 status in December 2009. The EBFP is a RI Community Food Bank Member Agency, having met stringent training and compliance requirements.

Clients from the East Bay area are served free of charge at the Food Pantry and have exclusive shopping privileges at the Thrift Shop every Wednesday.  The Thrift Shop is open to the public from Thursday to Sunday, with thrift shop proceeds used to support our food programs. The EBFP currently serves over 1200 East Bay households (over 4000 individuals, 1500 being children) with food distribution and meaningful community-based programs utilizing best practices for effective service delivery and evaluation.

EBFP operates with a part-time Executive Director, part-time Thrift Shop Coordinator, and part-time Food Programs Coordinator. There are currently sixty active volunteers serving in both the Pantry and Thrift Shop, who bring varied professional and personal skills to the agency; including a nutritionist, nurses, educators, physicians, IT professionals, engineers and business leaders. Our valuable community partnerships assist us in meeting our mission of “engaging, educating and empowering the East Bay in creating a hunger-free community”.  Our 2011 Annual Report is available here.

Partnerships

The Aide Foundation – food and clothing support

Blithewold - produce donations

Bristol County Elks – East Bay Cares – regular food donations, holiday baskets, healthy cooking class groceries

Bristol Warren School District – food and clothing support

Division of Youth, Children, & Families – food and clothing support

Farm Fresh RI – monthly food donations

First Congregational Church in Bristol – holiday programs, food donations, volunteers

Simmons Farm – produce donations

URI SNAP Education Department – SNAP registration, healthy food tastings

Warren Community Garden – produce donations

Women’s Resource Center – food and clothing support

 

Memberships

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

Bristol County Basic Needs Network

Healthy Eating and Active Living Collaborative, RI Department of Health

Bristol Merchants Association


Hours of Operation:

For clients:    Food Pantry & Thrift Shop – Wednesdays 10 am–5 pm

Fresh Food Friday – Fridays 10 am – noon

For the public:    Thrift Shop – Thursday through Saturday 10 am-5 pm

 

Current Program Statistics:

Client Households – over 1,200

Individuals – serving over 4,000 East Bay residents (over 1500 of those are children)

Volunteers – Currently 60 active volunteers in the Food Pantry and Thrift Shop

Statistics about hunger and food insecurity are available from the Rhode Island Food Bank.  For the most recent details, click here.

 

Board of Directors 2012:

  • Laura Temple, President – Bookkeeper, Certified Teacher Assistant
  • Denise Arsenault, Vice President – Educator, Bristol/Warren School Board
  • Grace Steere, Secretary – Retired M.D.; Owner, Equus LLC
  • Nicki Ann Tyska – Treasurer – Owner, Bristol Marine; Rockwell PTO volunteer
  • Gerald Bloom – Specialty and Natural Foods Manager, Clements Market
  • Rachael Holt – Integration Manager, Covidien
  • Anne Kellerman – Realtor, William Raveis, Bristol
  • Jodi Leffingwell – Educator, Ed.D; Trainer – Luxxotica; St. Mary Academy Bay View Advisory Council
  • Loretta Marion – Hospice Community Liaison, Nutrition Education Counselor, Mt. Hope Farm volunteer
  • Mary Mack Popham – Executive Vice President, Tri-Mack Plastics Manufacturing Corp.
  • Ann Roussel – Owner/manager, East Bay Chiropractic Health Center
  • Nicholas Stephens – Retired, Filene’s Personnel; Blithewold volunteer gardener

 

Staff:

  • Anita Randall, Executive Director – Educator, B.A and M. Ed.
  • Sandra Tolley, Thrift Shop Coordinator
  • Karen Griffith-Dieterich, Food Programs Coordinator

 

Grants to Date: The East Bay Food Pantry has received grants from the following organizations:

  • The Rhode Island Foundation
  • The John Clarke Trust
  • Roger Williams University, Bristol FCA Grant
  • The Mary Dexter Chaffee Fund
  • The Bristol Home for Aged Women
  • The Bristol Female Charitable Society
  • The Adelaide Dawson Lynch Memorial Trust
  • The Harry M, Miriam C, and William C Horton Fund
  • Bank Newport
  • Andrade Faxon Charitities for Children
  • The Carter Family Charitable Trust
  • RI Attorney General – Vitamin Grant
  • The Hassenfeld Foundation
  • Ocean State Charitable Foundation
  • RI State Legislature
  • Sovereign Bank Foundation