Pay Your Fines With Food at the Library

The Peabody Institute Library is running its annual program to benefit Haven from Hunger until Feb. 15. You can substitute your library fines with donations of food.

Pay Your Fines With Food at the Library

The Peabody Institute Library is running its annual program to benefit Haven from Hunger, starting Jan. 14.

Do have overdue library books? Well, from Jan. 14 - Feb. 15, you can substitute your fine with some food at the Peabody Institute Library. The library is again running its annual "Food for Fines" program, which supports the city's food pantry, Haven from Hunger, at a time when food donations are not as abundant after the holiday season. Donations of canned goods and other non-perishable items will be accepted to clear overdue fines on Peabody-owned library materials. The program will run at all three library branches: the Main Library, the South Branch and the West Branch. All donations benefit Haven from Hunger. For more information call 978-531-0100.

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Seniors Do Turkey Trot, Donate to Pantry for Thanksgiving

Seniors at Brooksby Village collected boxes of canned goods and other non-perishable food items over the past couple weeks and donated it all to Haven from Hunger in time to help out with the Thanksgiving demand.

Just like they have before every Thankgiving for the past 10 years, seniors at Brooksby Village once loaded up a van from the city's food pantry Friday morning full of canned goods and other non-perishable foods they had been collecting over the past couple weeks. Afterward, the seniors and staff members did their annual "Turkey Trot" around the housing complex campus -- a mile walk with a life size turkey leading the way. “This is an annual event so it’s nice to see everyone turn out year after year to help Haven from Hunger,” says Stefanie Fuller, a fitness specialist at Brooksby. Haven's executive director Alyse Barbash, who was there Friday to personally accept the donation with pantry volunteers, thanked the seniors for their …

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Peabody's Romano Helps Gather Basics for Fellow Teens in Need

PVMHS senior Alexandra Romano, a stalwart supporter of the city's food pantry in her own right, came up with a recent charitable campaign to gather basic toiletries for teens in need.

Peabody teen Alexandra Romano is "giving back" by collecting toothpaste, brushes, shampoo, soap, razors and other personal hygeine items for fellow teens who might be in need. Mom Angela Romano tells Peabody Patch that Alexandra, 17 and a senior at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, came up with the idea to make up "toiletry bags" and recently collected donations from family and friends, which she then brought over to Haven from Hunger for any teens served by the local food pantry. "Her thought was that they should start the school year off with new personal items like a lot of kids do," said Angela Romano. In total, Alexandra dropped off 20 bags at the Haven a couple weeks ago. Each bag contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, …

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Haven Offers Farmers Market of its Own

The food pantry is offering a free weekly farmers market to some local residents who can't usually afford costly fresh produce for their families.

[Editor's Note: The article has been updated to reflect a correction. It was incorrectly reported that Jaclyn Corriveau was a volunteer for the farmers market pilot program. She is in fact being paid to manage the market.] Peabody's food pantry has been offering a farmers market of its own this summer to residents who can't often afford to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. This market, in fact, is free and families can take as much as they need. "It's basically a farmers market for people who can't afford a farmers market," said Haven from Hunger Executive Director Alyse Barbash. "Here, you can get whatever you need...there's no limit." Currently, the Haven sets up shop on a grassy clearing at the corner of Higgins Middle School each …

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Peabody Kids, Are You Getting Your Free Lunch?

The annual summer foods program offers a free lunch Monday to Thursday for Peabody kids under 18 at the library downtown.

Consider this your official reminder -- Mayor Ted Bettencourt's office is urging parents to take advantage of the city's free summer foods program, which runs through Aug. 23. The program, which is sponsored by the mayor's office and run in partnership with Haven from Hunger and the Peabody Institute Library, is available for Peabody children under the age of 18. Free lunches are distributed at the Main Branch of the library Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. and followed up by different activities. Kids get to chow down on fruits, veggies, salads, sandwiches, milk and other nutritious foods each day. No registration or ID is required to get a lunch, although children under eight should be accompanied by a responsible person …

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Lobsters Lend a Claw for Food Pantry

Food drive this Sunday the Ferncroft Country Club in Danvers for Peabody's food pantry.

Peabody's food pantry is getting a little professional assistance from the Boston Lobsters this weekend. The Lobsters, a World TeamTennis organization based out of Ferncroft Country Club, and Haven from Hunger will hold a food drive at the Middleton club this Sunday for the team's Family Health and Wellness Day. Later on Sunday the Lobsters take on the Springfield Lasers. The Haven encourages donors to bring cereal, tuna fish, peanut butter and canned fruit for the drive, while other non-perishable food items are welcome as well. Contributions can be dropped off at a truck that will be parked at Ferncroft before and during the tennis match at 7 p.m. The Haven says more recently those who have signed up for food and meals are "working class…

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Haven Thanks Post Office for Annual Food Drive

More than 250 postal workers and volunteers came together to run the post office's annual "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive at the city's food pantry on Saturday.

[Yesterday] at Haven from Hunger, the post office conducted its annual “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. Over 250 postal workers and volunteers on the North Shore collected and sorted over 25,000 pounds of food, canned goods and non-perishable items. There are many more families that need our help this year, we really appreciate all who generously donated. The Board of Directors and Executive Director Alyse Barbash wish to thank all of the post office workers and volunteers who helped make this event a huge success. Haven from Hunger provides food to over 400 families per week and serves hot meals once daily to over 200 children and adults four nights per week. For further information on Haven from Hunger, contact Alyse Barbash at 978-531-…

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Haven Director Urges Peabody People to Join Hunger Walk

The Walk for Hunger is coming up on May 6 and directly benefits the clients at the Haven from Hunger and other shelters in Massachusetts.

On Sunday, May 6, Project Bread will celebrate the 2012 Walk for Hunger. The 20-mile route begins at the Boston Common and weaves through Boston, Brookline, Newton, Watertown to Cambridge. In the current economic crisis, this year’s walk has never been more important. As Executive Director of Haven From Hunger, I witness the human cost of this crisis every day — families who are newly unemployed, children who are eating two meals a day, and seniors who are giving up food for medicine. I urge all Peabody residents to take part in this important event that helps families right here in our who struggle to put food on the table almost everyday. Today in Massachusetts, over 700,000 people in Massachusetts do not have enough to eat. At Peabody, …

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Barbash: 'Force to be Reckoned With' in Serving Those in Need

Alyse Barbash, the executive director of the city's food pantry and volunteer in various other service initiatives, is this year's recipient of the Mary Upton Ferrin Award.

Every March, in conjunction with Women's History Month, the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes one local woman who demonstrates the same fearless drive, leadership and humanitarian advocacy as 19th century Peabody suffragette Mary Upton Ferrin. This year's honoree is Haven from Hunger Executive Director Alyse Barbash. She is the 19th person to receive the Mary Upton Ferrin Award, which will be bestowed on her March 21 at a ceremony at City Hall. Barbash lives in Middleton and was hired as the director of the city's food pantry in 2010, but she was active in charitable efforts in Peabody long before she took her current job. But first, who was Mary Upton Ferrin? History tells us she was a women's rights leader in the 1800s in South…

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