Free Food: Meals & Groceries
Index
Meals to Go or Eat on Site:
Meals To Go or Eat on Site
Salvation Army(opens in new tab)
HOPE Kitchen- Breakfast & Lunch to go.
Monday- Friday
10 AM -12 PM
33 Myrtle St, Waltham
Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen,(opens in new tab) Middlesex Human Services Agency(opens in new tab)
Dinner in to-go containers, double to go meals on Fridays.
Monday - Friday
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main Street, Waltham
Temple Beth Israel of Waltham and Food not Bombs(opens in new tab)
Free meals (weather dependent)
Thursdays
6 PM -7 PM
ReNew/Gardencrest - Corner of Garden Cir. and Middlesex Rd., Waltham
Sundays
1 PM - 4 PM
Waltham Commons, 610 Main Street. (across the street from the commuter rail station)
Chaplains on the Way Breakfast Program(opens in new tab)
Hot Breakfast Served, welcome to sit and eat.
Tuesday-Thursday
7:30 AM -10:30 AM
50 Church Street, Waltham
Compassionate Care Community
Sandwiches to go
Saturdays, 2 PM - 3PM
Outside the Community Day Center, 16 Felton St. commuter rail side.
Meals to Go for Seniors
Waltham Council on Aging(opens in new tab)
For seniors with needs they cannot meet, call the senior center at (781)-314-3300. They are able to deliver frozen meals to those who have no other resources.
Springwell's Community Dining Sites(opens in new tab) are continuing their operations, providing take-out meals instead of their usual dine-in service. All residents over the age of 60 are eligible to participate. Reservations must be made two days in advance. Waltham hosts two dining sites:
Waltham Clark Apartments
Address: 48 Pine Street
Phone: (781)-398-0150
Open: Monday-Friday, 11:30 AM
Waltham Mill Apartments
Address: 174 Moody Street
Phone: (617)-972-5700
Open: Tuesdays 11:30 AM
Meals on Wheels
The Meals on Wheels Coordinator is paid by the City of Waltham. Recipients pay for the food only. Volunteers handle packing and distribution. Meals are delivered to HOMEBOUND (unable to leave the home unassisted) seniors 60 or older, Monday through Friday between 11:30 and 12:30. The charge for the service is $46.15 per week, for two meals per day. Low income, frail seniors may be eligible for a subsidy through Springwell @ 617-926-4100. Please call 781-314-3300 to speak with the Meals on Wheels Coordinator.
Meals to Go for Homeless Residents
Community Day Center of Waltham
Staff are distributing bag lunches for sit down meals inside. director@communitydaycenter.org
Monday - Friday 12:30 PM
Address: 16 Felton Street, Waltham
Food Pantries & Markets All pantries and markets are free
Bristol Lodge Food Pantry, Middlesex Human Services Agency (opens in new tab)
A variety of fresh, frozen and canned foods. All are welcome.
Every Wednesday 9 AM - 12 PM
Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main Street, Waltham
No prior registration needed.
Healthy Waltham Food Pantry, Community Response Pantry(opens in new tab)
Assorted shelf-stable and fresh foods, also toiletries and other products.
2nd and 4th Thursday of the month
1:30 - 4:15 by appointment, 4:30 - 5pm for guests without an appointment.
101 School St., Waltham
Registration - Please sign up for an appointment through the Your Market website link here: https://www.your-market.org/
Choose Healthy Waltham from the list of pantries. Registration is available in multiple languages.
Please bring your own cart to carry food.
Parking is on-street and in municipal (public) lots only.
Middlesex Human Services Agency Mobile Market(opens in new tab)
3rd Saturday of the month. (Subject to change - Check website https://mhsainc.org/programs/nutrition/ to confirm)
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
50 Prospect St., parking lot Waltham
No prior registration needed.
Salvation Army Food Pantry(opens in new tab)
Food Pantry - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
10 AM -12 PM
33 Myrtle Street, Waltham.
Registration- Each individual or family can get food once a month. Bring photo ID, proof of address (lease, utility bill) and income (paystubs, Social Security letter). Food is prepared to go.
Centre Street Food Pantry(opens in new tab)
Provide pre-packed grocery bag pickups, as well as paper products, cleaning and personal care items.
Grocery pickups:
Open: Tuesdays, 2:30 - 6:00 PM & Senior Hour: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Third Saturday, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Address: 11 Homer St in Newton Center
Lower level of Trinity Church, pick up on Furber Lane
We now have an outdoor operation with curbside pickup. We provide pre-packed bags of cold and frozen foods as well as produce and dry goods. We accept new families who live in one of the communities we serve as well as those already registered with us. We ask that new families fill out our online pantry registration form(opens in new tab) Or print and fill out our paper form.(opens in new tab)
Free Food
Open: Thursdays (weather dependent), 6-7pm
Address: Gardencrest (ReNew) Corner of Garden Cir. and Middlesex Rd.
Financial Assistance and Other Food Support
Food Stamps, Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)
If you get SNAP and you work, and you lose hours or have to stop work, report your lower hours to DTA as soon as you can, so they can adjust your SNAP benefit amount.
To apply for SNAP or check your account:
- Visit www.DTAConnect.com or download the DTA Connect Mobile app to submit documents, check your balance, and more.
- Apply online through Mass.gov.
- For additional help, call Project Bread. Can assist callers apply for SNAP in over 160 languages. Read more on their flyer.
1-800-645-8333
Monday - Friday: 8 AM to 7 PM
Saturday: 10 AM to 2 PM or reach hotline counselors by instant message through www.gettingsnap.org - WATCH CDC Housing & Basic Needs Clinic - Contact the clinic for assistance in applying or updating your application. Contact Sarah at WATCH by leaving a message at (781)-891-6689 ext. 203 and you will get a return call as soon as possible.
NEW benefit for SNAP holders: Restaurant Meals (RMP)
The RMP allows older adults (60+), homeless individuals, and people with disabilities to buy food at authorized restaurants/food trucks using their SNAP EBT card. The program is open now to eligible clients.
WIC continues to offer services over the phone to pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, non-breastfeeding women and kids up to the age of 5. The offices are still closed until further notice, but WIC benefits are even easier to get at this time, because participants do not have to go into an office for their appointments. Everything is done remotely and they get their benefits downloaded onto their WIC card. Anybody can go shop for WIC families if they are not able to go to the store.
To enroll participants please go online or call our offices:
- Waltham: (781) 642-7194
- Framingham: (508)-620-1445
Like our Facebook page for updates and resources.
All staff are able to:
- Enroll new participants
- Re-enroll families who have been on WIC before
- Do nutrition consultations over the phone
- Download food and formula benefits remotely onto WIC cards
- Offer virtual breastfeeding classes
- Help participants to apply for SNAP benefits and MassHealth and make referrals to programs that can help families with other needs.
Project Bread FoodSource Hotline
If you or someone you know living in Massachusetts needs food assistance, please refer them to Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline, toll-free and confidential, at 1-800-645-8333. Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 7 PM. Saturday: 10 AM -2 PM.
Counselors can assist callers with: Information, eligibility, and over-the-phone application assistance with SNAP, school meal site information, summer meal site information, and local community resources, such as food pantries and meal services.
Counselors can assist callers in 160 languages and there is a dedicated line to assist the hearing-impaired community at TTY: 1-800-377-1292. More information can be found, here. This service is available to all Massachusetts residents.
Family Table at Jewish Family and Children's Services
For assistance with food access and referral to services call the Family Table at(781)-693-5593. They also provide assistance applying for and using SNAP benefits. To contact, please email them at SNAPhelp@jfcsboston.org or call the JF&CS Bet Tzedek Intake Line at (781)-693-1333.