by Joan Eliyesil ·
Friday, March 28, 2025
When the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it was cutting the Local Food Access Program a few weeks ago, food pantries across the country worried about losing their supply of fresh, local produce, meats, and dairy products. But Loaves & Fishes, the food pantry in Devens that serves Harvard and six other nearby towns, is likely emerging unscathed.
According to Loaves & Fishes Food Coordinator Jocie McCaffrey, the pantry receives “a huge part” of its fresh produce during the summer months from Boston Area Gleaners. The Boston Food Hub, a program run by the Gleaners, was affected by the USDA’s axing of the LFAP. But Boston Area Gleaners Executive Director Usha Thakrar told the Press that Loaves & Fishes was not a client of the Boston Food Hub program. Instead, it receives donated produce from the Gleaners’ own local food access program. In this program, which was not affected by the USDA’s recent cuts, surplus crops are harvested by volunteers and donated to food access organizations.
McCaffrey said Loaves & Fishes also receives local seafood from the Greater Boston Food Bank, which was a past recipient of USDA local food access program funds. Gary Roy, assistant director of public relations at Greater Boston Food Bank, told the Press the food bank received $500,000 of federal money in 2022 and 2023, and it used those funds to purchase seafood from Massachusetts vendors and distribute it to 600 providers across the eastern area of the state. The organization was not awarded any subsequent funds. Despite that, local seafood deliveries to food pantries like Loaves & Fishes continued and are expected to continue.