As we step into this new season, we’re excited to share some joyful news about a meaningful transition for the Sudbury Community Food Pantry - an undertaking born from this very parish.

After many years of planning and searching, the Pantry has purchased its very first building at 534 Boston Post Road in Wayland, just over the Sudbury line near the Longfellow Health Club. This milestone marks a profound step forward in the Pantry’s mission to serve those experiencing food insecurity with dignity and compassion.

The Pantry began in 1990, founded by members of Our Lady of Fatima, including Ed Gottman and Sister Mary McManus, in response to the economic hardships of the time. What started as a Fatima-led effort to help fellow parishioners soon grew into a community-wide endeavor, supported by local clergy of many faiths and united by a shared call to serve. In 1993, the Pantry became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, yet its heart has always remained closely tied to this parish family.

For 35 years, the Pantry has operated from the basement of Ascension Parish, staffed entirely by volunteers and sustained by donations and love. In 2024 alone, the Pantry distributed more than 30,000 bags of food, valued at over $727,000, to families from 85 towns who visited more than 6,000 times.

This move is a response to that continued and growing need. The new building is undergoing renovations to become a welcoming, efficient space that can support the Pantry’s organization into the future.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to Ascension Parish for being the Pantry’s home and heart for so many years. Though the physical location is changing, our shared mission continues and we look forward to exploring new ways to partner in service in the years ahead.

 During renovations, Pantry operations will remain at Ascension Parish, and we are thankful to be able to continue serving from this space through the end of July.

Thank you for your enduring generosity, prayers, and support. 

With warmest blessings,

John Thomas

Executive Director

Sudbury Community Food Pantry