GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — Women’s Way is hosting their annual “Supper for Six” food drive on February 11th to support local food pantries and family programs during the February school vacation week, when food insecurity can increase in local families.

Last year, United Way community partner organizations distributed 414 bags of food collected through Supper for Six.

Donations can be brought to the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region’s Greenfield Office at 51 Davis Street from 4 to 6 p.m. on February 11th. 

From the United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region:

Annual “Supper for Six” Food Drive Event Scheduled for February 11th
Food and funds collected will support families in need during the February school break

Greenfield, MA, January 31, 2025 – Women’s Way, the affinity group of United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region (UWFH), is running their annual food drive, Supper for Six, to ensure that local food pantries and family programs will have plenty to offer during the busy February school vacation week. On Tuesday, February 11th, 2025 from 4:00-6:00 PM at UWFH’s Greenfield office, community members, businesses, and organizations are invited to drop off reusable grocery bags filled with nonperishable dinner ingredients for a family of six, such as rice and canned proteins, pastas and canned vegetables, and nut butters and jelly.

While many students excitedly anticipate school vacation, for struggling families, the break can mean increased food insecurity. Feeding America’s latest “Map the Meal Gap” data reports that of the more than 11% of Franklin County residents facing food insecurity, nearly 1,900 of those are children. During vacation weeks, school food services do not run and visits to food pantries surge. The ongoing housing crisis along with continued high prices at the grocery store and on utility bills contribute to the need for additional support.

Women’s Way will hold a Supper for Six drive-thru collection event in the UWFH office parking lot, located at 51 Davis Street in Greenfield. Donors should have bags easily accessible from trunks or back seats for Women’s Way members and UWFH staff to gather. Wednesday, February 12th will serve as a snow date for the event, if needed. Anyone who would like to donate bags but is unable to make the drive-thru event may bring them to the UWFH office. All gifts made by check or online will go toward purchasing additional food for distribution.

Last year, United Way community partner organizations distributed 414 bags of food collected through Supper for Six. In 2025, the following area food pantries and family programs will distribute all donations to local families before and during February school vacation: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western MA, the United Arc, the Mary Lyon Foundation, the Franklin County Community Meals Program, and Community Action’s Center for Self-Reliance Food Pantries.

Individuals or organizations looking for more information, such as nonperishable item suggestions, UWFH office availability, and other ways to give to Supper for Six, including online or by check, may visit https://cas5-0-urlprotect.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uw%2dfh.org%2fwomensway&umid=e3590b7b-dff8-11ef-90ef-0022480ad028&auth=8789d1923baeef5cdc1c0bb41e7be32625ccae84-6bc04ae42196317b380b6523447f5f824ba68345, call 413-584-3962 x102, or email info@uw-fh.org.

About Women’s Way Formed in 2005 by a group of local women who wanted a hands-on way to drive change in Franklin County, Women’s Way is an integral part of United Way. Women’s Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Franklin County. We are a diverse, vibrant community, bound together by a powerful sense of belonging — to each other, to the organization’s mission, and to the
communities we call home.

Each year Women’s Way host two signature events: Supper for Six, which helps cover the food gap many families deal with during the February school break, and Blooming Backpacks, a school supply drive to make sure every student is ready for the new school year.