Table Talk, Spring 2021

​It’s hard to believe that five years have already passed since we opened the Jardis-Taylor Center for Our Neighbors’ Table. Occasionally, we still welcome back someone who last came to visit while we were still operating at the Main Street Congregational Church. Their reactions are always the same – first they stand up straight thanks to the enhanced head clearance in our warehouse, then their eyes and mouths widen in awe at the visceral experience of how the building has elevated our mission. When we - staff, volunteers and guests – gathered to design the JTC, we dared to dream of what could be. When we officially opened the doors in May 2016, we saw those dreams come to reality. But that was only the beginning.
In the last five years, as a direct result of opening the Jardis-Taylor Center, ONT has more than doubled the number of people it serves, has significantly increased the percent of fresh produce, meats and dairy going into every household, and has turned over the power and decision making to each guest to decide what food they bring home to feed their family. And, perhaps the most exciting milestone, we declared Amesbury our first food-secure city knowing that quality food is universally available and accessible to all residents, even – and especially – in a pandemic. What inspires me as we look ahead is to see that ONT’s Market model and focus on Service with Dignity is becoming a favored model across the country.
To all of you who had the courage to break the mold and help us shape this work five years ago, this success is yours. To all of you who have joined this mission since we’ve opened the JTC, thank you for keeping an open mind and daring to serve differently. And to all of you who serve as ambassadors of kindness and food security, we look forward to continuing to shape this work with you in the years to come. 

In Celebration, 
Lyndsey Haight 
​Executive Director

---

​The growth that happened when the doors of the Jardis-Taylor Center for Our Neighbors' Table opened in May of 2016 was beyond anyone's expectations. By 2017, Our Neighbors' Table had exceeded 2020 projections of providing 1,000,000 meals annually and the number of neighbors served each year had nearly doubled. This service delivery would not be possible without ONT's team of incredible volunteers. Thank you to the 1,919 volunteers who have worked over 38,000 shifts over the last 5 years to help make this impact possible. Follow along on ONT's Facebook and Instagram over the next week as we reminisce and celebrate 5 years of impact at the Jardis-Taylor Center!  

Volunteer Spotlight - Bob Mazzone

​Bob Mazzone was first introduced to Our Neighbors’ Table in 2002 when he was the director of Amesbury Housing Authority. Bob would see the mission in action when he would call ONT to help get food for one of his new tenants and their cupboards would be filled within hours. “That’s when I became a devotee,” Bob said, “I saw the light.”
Bob has been a devoted ONT volunteer since his retirement—helping in whatever way is needed from driving our trucks to unloading groceries at a mobile market to building custom pallets. Bob also served on the building committee for the Jardis-Taylor Center, helping ONT find its new home and using his innovative energy to create a safe and efficient new Warehouse that is essential to ONT’s grocery distribution. Read more about Bob in this month's Volunteer Spotlight ››

---

News & Events

You're invited to join us for "Creating Your Legacy with Our Neighbors' Table" on Monday, June 7 at 5:30pm via zoom. ONT has entered an exciting new chapter and you can now make your passion for food security a part of your legacy. On the 7th, you'll hear from panel members about why and how they chose to create a legacy with ONT. We're thrilled to have Charlene Dolan of Linden Financial Group join us as well. Register today to learn more or receive the recording!

Welcome to Mike Marshall, ONT's new Director of Supply Chain & Logstics! Mike joined us in January on staff but volunteered with ONT years ago when the Warehouse was in the root cellar at the Main Street Congregational Church. We've come a long way since then and we're excited to have Mike and his expertise leading our Warehouse team. He has loved getting to know our incredible volunteers and the ONT community. Please say hello to Mike next time you see him or send him a welcome email!

Be a lifeline for your neighbors! While the spring feels hopeful for so many reasons, many of our neighbors are still struggling. The economic effects of Covid-19 have left 10,000 neighbors in our region food insecure, nearly double pre-pandemic levels. ONT's programs and services provide a lifeline to the thousands of neighbors we are serving each month. And there are thousands more we need to reach with fresh, wholesome food. Can you help? Donate today or join the Breakfast Club to give all year long.

ONT's Summer Lunch Program Returns!

​Our Neighbors’ Table’s Summer Lunch Program was designed to offer families additional breakfast and lunch foods to help feed kids who are home from school for the summer. It's estimated to cost an extra $300 to provide the meals a child would have received at school, which combined with camp or childcare costs can be overwhelming for so many families. The Summer Lunch Program provides a solution and has been helping ease parents' summer worries for over a decade. This year, there is no additional registration needed to participate in the Summer Lunch Program. Every ONT family with children in their household will automatically have extra breakfast, lunch and snack items to add to their grocery order each week starting in mid-June. Families in our region who aren't current guests can register with ONT anytime on our website or call 978-388-1907 to start shopping weekly. 

Donate