Free Food: Meals & Groceries

Meals To Go or Eat on Site 

Salvation Army

Soup kitchen- Serving Meals to go.
Monday- Friday 10-12pm
33 Myrtle St, Waltham, MA

Food Pantry - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10-12pm
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables - 2nd and 4th Wednesday

Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen, Middlesex Human Services Agency

Dinner in to-go containers, double to go meals on Fridays. 781-894-6110

Masks need to be worn inside the building- we will supply a mask for anyone who needs one.

Monday-Friday
4:30-5:30pm
Immanuel Methodist Church545 Moody St., Waltham, MA, 02453, Enter via Cherry Street, on the lower level of church.


Temple Beth Isreal of Waltham and Food not Bombs

Free meals to go - Sundays 2-4PM
Waltham Common (opposite commuter rail station)


Chaplains on the Way Breakfast Program - April to November 2023 Program

Waltham City Hall Common- Gazebo, Wednesday's 9-11AM

Breakfast and service. Patrons do not have to stay for the service in order to receive a meal.

Meals to Go for Seniors

Waltham Council on Aging

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

Springwell's Community Dining Sites 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. Waltham hosts two dining sites:

Waltham Clark Apartments
48 Pine St
781-398-0150
Monday-Friday, 11:30am

Waltham Mill Apartments
174 Moody Street
617-972-5700
Tuesdays 11:30am


Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is a program that offers well-balanced meals to adults through home delivery or congregated dining sites. If you need home-delivered meals, staff will make an appointment for a home-delivered meal assessment.

Call 1-800-243-4636 to find the closest agency.

Meals to Go for Homeless Residents

Community Day Center of Waltham

Staff are distributing bag lunches for sit down meals inside. director@communitydaycenter.org

Mon-Fri
12:30
16 Felton Street, Waltham

Food Pantries & Markets All pantries and markets are free

Bristol Lodge Food Pantry, Middlesex Human Services Agency 
Pantry offers a variety of fresh, frozen and canned foods. All are welcome.

Every Wednesday
9am - 12pm
Immanuel Church Food Pantry - 545 Moody Street (Enter from Cherry Street)

Safety Practices: Using all possible recommended COVID-19 prevention techniques as they strive to balance absolutely minimizing the spread of COVID-19 while still providing those in need with free and healthy food. Masks need to be worn inside the building.


Healthy Waltham Food Pantry, Community Response Pantry

Food Market for any Waltham resident. Register in person at the pantry. The program provides fresh vegetables and fruits, meats, and assorted canned goods. Please bring your own cart to carry food. It is heavy!

Location: Pantry is walk-up only at the Fitch School parking lot, corner Cherry and Crescent Streets (5 Cherry St) with regular hours from 1:30pm-6pm. All pantry clients must sign up for an appointment through this link: https://www.your-market.org/ . Numbered tickets to hold your place in line are distributed starting at 10am and throughout the day (first 300 tickets distributed in random order).

Pantry update: We will be offering boxes of shelf-stable food.

For more information visit here.

2nd & 4th Thursday of the month.

Where to park: Street parking only. Please respect our neighbors and do not park on private property or block driveways. Park in legal spots and in city-owned (pay) lots only.


Africano Waltham 

Groceries to go by appointment only, 12-3PM
Saint Peters Church 750 Main St, Waltham, MA

Same day as Healthy Waltham's distribution dates.


Middlesex Human Services Agency Mobile Market

3rd Saturday of the month. (subject to change -  check website to confirm)

11:30-12:30pm
50 Prospect St., Waltham, parking lot

Safety Practices: Using all possible recommended COVID-19 prevention techniques as they strive to balance absolutely minimizing the spread of COVID-19 while still providing those in need with free and healthy food. Masks need to be worn inside the building.


Salvation Army Food Pantry

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).  781-894-0413 Food is prepared to go.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
10am-12:30pm
33 Myrtle Street

Produce Distribution 

First and third Wednesday of the month

Bread and Pastry Distribution 

Tuesday's and Thursday's

*Subject to donations received 


Charles River Mobile Market

Open to patients of Charles River Community Health Center Waltham or Brighton. Mobile Market is now operating as a drive-thru - it is held outdoors with  no registration process; participants receive a bag of fresh produce.  ONE family member should attend. Can drive or walk up, cars preferred. Read more here.

3rd Tuesday of the month

2:30-3:30pm

Charles River Community Health
495 Western Avenue
Brighton, MA


Centre Street Food Pantry

Provide pre-packed grocery bag pickups, as well as paper products, cleaning and personal care items.

Grocery pickups:

Tuesdays, 2:30-6:00pm, Senior Hour 1-2
First Saturday, 11:30am-2:00pm

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 Or print and fill out our paper form.


Medway Village Food Pantry, Medway Village Church  

Open to all MA residents. Pantry allows individual to get a shopping experience by allowing them to choose exactly what they need. No ID required, on site registration.

Saturdays 8-10am

170 Village St, Medway, MA 02053


Waltham Farmer's Market  

This market is not free

Behind 234 Moody St, next to Embassy parking lot

Opens on Saturdays, June 3, 2023 - October 28
9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Waltham Farmers Market tokens: Accepted at all SNAP/EBT-eligible food vendors
SNAP match: $10
WIC vouchers also accepted
To learn more visit: walthamfarmersmarket.org

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:

  1. Visit www.DTAConnect.com or download the DTA Connect Mobile app to submit documents, check your balance, and more.
  2. Apply online through Mass.gov.
  3. 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: 8AM to 7PM
    Saturday: 10AM to 2PMor reach hotline counselors by instant message through www.gettingsnap.org
  4. WATCH CDC Housing & Basic Needs Clinic - Contact the clinic for assistance in applying or updating your application. Contact Suzi at WATCH by leaving a message at 781-891-6689 ext. 203 and you will get a return call as soon as possible.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT)

UPDATE -- Since P-EBT was created to replace school meals, students who return to in-person learning will not get P-EBT funds for the months that they are in school in-person.

This is an important message for families who got P-EBT and may be concerned about losing P-EBT funds as they return to in-person learning:

  • ALL kids can get free meals at school (P-EBT was created to replace school meals)
  • P-EBT will be available this summer - keep your cards!
  • You can still use your P-EBT money from previous months if you have it - previous funds don't go away!
  • Apply for SNAP and get the MAXIMUM dollar amount during COVID-19

P-EBT cards provide additional money for families to purchase food while their children’s schools are closed. P-EBT cards are distributed to families whose children receive free or reduced meals or attend a school where every child receives free meals.

Look for a notice in the mail from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in May. Families not already receiving DTA benefits will get mailed their card separately from the notice. If you have not received your card by late May, call Project Bread’s FoodSource hotline at 800-645-8333.

Received your card? Set it up now! Call Massachusetts’ EBT hotline (800) 997-2555 Create a PIN: use the last 4 digits of your child’s case number that was provided on the notice you got in the mail and the child’s date of birth (using the 2 digit month + 2 digit day. Example: 04/06) Use it like an EBT card for purchasing groceries from approved retailers.

Where can P-EBT be used? P-EBT can be used anywhere that SNAP is accepted, such as grocery stores or smaller corner stores (look for signs that say “We accept EBT here”). Starting May 29th, Massachusetts residents who receive SNAP benefits can use their EBT card to buy food online from Amazon and Walmart .

What can be purchased with P-EBT? P-EBT acts similarly to SNAP benefits. You can purchase most fresh, canned, and frozen foods. P-EBT cannot purchase items such as diapers, cleaning products, paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.), supplements/medicines, prepared meals or restaurant food, pet food, alcohol or recreational marijuana.

Questions? Call Project Bread’s Hotline Number at: 1-800-645-8333 Flyers on P-EBT in multiple languages

These cards cannot be donated, but you are able to use this card to purchase food (pantry staples are most helpful!) and then donate the food.

Have more questions? Project Bread's Facebook page has a lot of great information about P-EBT. Also map-ebt.org answers many frequently asked questions.


WIC Offices, Waltham

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 our staff are safely working from home and 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: 8am-7pm. Saturday: 10am-2pm.

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.

Closures

Grandma's Pantry (as of June 2021)

Pre- bagged food distributed to Waltham seniors (60+ on fixed incomes) outside in the rear parking lot of the church. People may come on foot or drive their car to the back parking lot.

2nd and 4th Saturdays

9:00-11:00am

Christ Church Episcopal
750 Main St, Waltham, MA, 02451
781-891-6012


Waltham Islamic Society (as of 7/14/20)

Services are on hold until further notice.


St. Mary's Food Pantry (as of 3/31/20)

Pantry no longer operating.


Sacred Heart Food Pantry (as of 3/25/20)

Until further notice, the food pantry at Sacred Heart is closed.