ATHOL, Mass. - Inside Athol High School there's a food pantry, and it's not just there to feed students. 

The pantry is open to those who live in town, as well as the surrounding communities. Shirley Mitchell and Tammy McBride helped to start the pantry in 2020 to address food insecurity in the community. 

"Since December of  last year we have helped 1,005 families. That's a total of 4,400 people, individuals we've helped in the family, so that kind of speaks to the volumes," Mitchell said. 

What You Need To Know

  • Since December 2020, the Athol food pantry has helped 1,005 families -- a total of more than 4,400 people
  • The number of people the Worcester County Food Bank is serving is 13% higher than it was pre-pandemic
  • November and December are times food pantries tend to see a higher need along with summer time
  • The Athol food pantry not only serves the town, but also the surrounding communities

The pantry, which is run with the help of students from the high school, has everything from non-perishables, to produce and dairy. A majority of the items they receive come from the Worcester County Food Bank. Athol is one of 119 partner agencies throughout Worcester County area the food bank serves.

Worcster County Food Bank CEO Jean McMurray says the total number of people they’re serving is 13% higher than it was pre-pandemic.

"That just speaks to a number of ongoing things: the ongoing pandemic, higher food prices, higher fuel prices, both for our cars and heating our homes," McMurray said. "So there are a lot of factors that are driving people to have to ask for help."

November and December are times food pantries tend to see a higher need along with summer time. Mitchell and McBride want people to feel comfortable seeking help.

"You will come across people who need the help who aren't feeling comfortable and that's when we need to step in and say we're in this together," McBride said. "We are all in this together and there's no judgment here."