10/11/2026
What does it really take to prepare for one Sunday at Roslindale Food Collective?
My Saturday started at 10 AM picking up beautiful produce from Fair Foods, followed by a trip to Dedham for boxes. Now, at 10 PM, I’m heading out again to pick up another donation coming from Methuen.
Tomorrow, I’ll be back on the road by 10 AM for two more pickups before arriving at the program at 1:30 PM. My day won’t end until nearly 5 PM.
All of this is done without a single penny going into my pocket.
I share this because I don’t think people realize how much work goes into preparing the boxes they receive each Sunday.
I work incredibly hard to stretch every dollar, finding the freshest, best-quality produce at the lowest possible prices. Our goal isn’t simply to distribute food. We want every family to receive a beautiful box of groceries prepared with care, thoughtfulness, and dignity.
Sometimes rescued food may be past its sell-by or best-by date, but that doesn’t automatically mean it isn’t perfectly good food.
So when you visit our program, please come with patience, gratitude, and an understanding that countless hours of work go into making this possible.
Our volunteers give so much of themselves, and together we’re doing our very best to serve as many families as our resources allow.
We may not be able to help everyone, but we put our hearts into helping everyone we can.
