GBFB Community Investment Grants Partner Stories: YMCA Greater Boston – April Strack

The YMCA of Greater Boston is a relative newcomer to food distribution, but what it may lack in longevity it more than makes up for in scope. Compelled by the pandemic, the Y launched its Grocery Bag Distribution Program in 2021 where, out of its East Boston warehouse, it delivered some 3,000 bags per week. In two short years that number has grown from 3,000 to more than 4,700 bags per week, delivered to more than 45 sites across the City of Boston.  

Estimating that each bag serves 2.5 people, the Y figures that they’re feeding as many as 10,000 individuals every seven days. They’ve been able to do that, in part, thanks to Community Investment Grants from GBFB in 2021 and 2022, which have helped them successfully manage that expansion and growth.

“We were able to purchase a lot of items we didn’t have, mostly to help with distribution and storage,” says April Strack, program director. New pallet jacks allow the Y to move goods more quickly and improve capacity. Nest-able plastic pallets ease the transportation of grocery bags, particularly in their truck. New, folding wheeled carts ease moving bags everywhere, especially up and down stairs, and back braces help protect the staff who are tasked with transporting what, in February 2023 alone, amounted to enough healthy food to provide 156,000 meals. 

But the star attraction of the grant funding has been the Y’s walk-in freezer, which greatly improves their storage capacity, especially for seasonal items such as turkeys. “I’m really, really excited about the freezer,” April admits. “People start asking about turkeys in the summer. People always want turkeys!” 

 Strack is upbeat as she looks ahead. “Now that I have some administrative help, I’m trying to figure out things we can improve on,” she says. “Because, yes, we’re giving them food. But where can we go from there? I feel hopeful we can give people more choices, and also help educate them on the food they’re eating.”