Our Residents
Food Bank brings healthy fare to Moxon Apartments
On a recent summer afternoon, Jacqueline DeJesus was happy, because she had fresh corn, potatoes and eggplant to feed her family of four children.
And that doesn’t even include the tomatoes, cabbage, yogurt and orange juice she packed into her bag to bring home to Springfield Housing Authority’s Moxon Apartments.
“It’s good, healthy, fresh food,” she said, her smile revealing her pleasure at the food that came free, courtesy of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
“I can buy this stuff at the grocery story, but everything’s so expensive. This is just what my family needs,” DeJesus said.
Jacqueline DeJesus, who lives at Springfield Housing Authority’s Moxon Apartments, takes home groceries that came courtesy of the Western Massachusetts Food Bank.
The Food Bank is making twice-monthly visits to Moxon as part of its Mobile Food Bank, now in its second year of bringing fresh healthy food to areas of high poverty, and distributing it free of charge. Moxon is one of 10 sites in Western Massachusetts where the blue and white trucks makes regular stops to help ease hunger and promote nutrition.
Mobile Food Bank Coordinator Nick Atherton said that typically, between 150 and 200 families participate at each stop, and no one is turned away.
“It’s open to anyone who wants to come by,” he explained. “The program is aimed at working families, children and seniors. It’s free to anyone.”
The Mobile Food Bank began last summer, and in just six months managed to distribute 127,646 pounds of food were distributed to more than 14,800 people, including 6,372 children. This summer’s numbers promise to be even higher, as the area served has grown from four communities to 10, Atherton said.
The SHA participates with volunteers from Resident Services helping to distribute food and make families feel welcome. Resident Services Director Pamela Wells said many Moxon families come for food, along with many others who live in the Indian Orchard or nearby neighborhoods.
“We chose Moxon because it’s so close to Duggan Apartments, and residents from both developments could benefit,” Wells said. “So far, it’s going very well.”
Volunteers from Springfield Housing Authority staff and residents help distribute fresh produce and groceries at Moxon Apartments, a regular stop of the Mobile Food Bank operated by The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.
Deputy Executive Director Nicole Contois said the benefits of the Food Bank are plentiful.
“It’s bringing high quality, nutritious food to our residents who might not always be choosing this kind of food when they go shopping,” she said. “And besides that, it’s delicious.”
Eulalia Reyes brought her children with her to pick up groceries, and said she too was looking forward to dinner.
Moxon Apartments resident Eulalia Reyes and her children and their groceries from the Western Massachusetts Food Bank.
“I’m very happy,” she said. “This gives us good food that we don’t have at home. My children will be very happy tonight.”
The Food Bank accepts donations, and also has a grant from the Stop & Shop Foundation.
