Around Town

Hear How Watertown is Tackling the Growing Problem of Hunger at a Live Roundtable Discussion

By |

After the ceiling collapsed in the church that hosts the Watertown Food Pantry, pickup was moved outside for several weeks. (Photo by Kathy Cunningham)

A lack of food has long been a problem for some Watertown residents, but the number of people worried about going hungry increased during the Pandemic and the numbers have only declined slightly in the past few years. On Feb. 12, Watertown News and Watertown Cable Access Television will host a live discussion with some of the people working on the problem of food insecurity in town. The Watertown Food Pantry has seen the number of families served each week double from pre- to post-pandemic.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Offering Youth Sports League Grants

By |

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

On February 1, the Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) opened the 2024 application process to provide financial support to Watertown’s youth sports leagues so any child can play a league sport, regardless of ability to play. Applications for Youth Sports Leagues will be accepted until February 28, 2024

These grants provide funding to eligible organizations to help pay for participation and equipment for student athletes who otherwise can’t afford to play. Examples of programs eligible for Youth Sports Leagues Grants include:

Baseball/Softball

Football/Cheerleading

Soccer

Basketball

Lacrosse

Hockey

You can learn more about how to apply for Youth Sports Leagues Grants here. Applications will be accepted until February 28.  

About Watertown Community Foundation 

The Watertown Community Foundation works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations.

Around Town

Food Insecurity in Watertown: Hunger is a Multi-Faceted Problem — It Won’t Magically Go Away

By |

The Watertown Food Pantry set up outside the United Methodist Church while its facility was being repaired. (Photo by Kathy Cunningham)

For the last several weeks, Watertown News, in conjunction with Watertown Cable Access Television, published six stories in a series called “Watertown’s Hidden Problem: Food Insecurity Among Us.” (See part one here). In the course of reporting these stories on food and hunger in our community, one absolute fact has emerged: how indelibly intertwined the problem of food insecurity is with other challenges. Food is too expensive. If you can afford food, it might only be cheap, low-nutrient food.

Around Town

Filling the Watertown’s Free Fridge is a Community Effort

By |

Volunteer Sue Twombly stocks the Watertown Community Fridge with items they picked up at the Cambridge Community Center. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Each Friday, Will and Sue Twombly drive to Cambridge and fill up their car with vegetables, fruit, bread, and other items and bring them back to Watertown. The food is bound for one of the newest resources for people struggling to afford to eat: the Watertown Community Fridge. The Fridge is a free resource, located outside the United Methodist Church at 80 Mt. Auburn St., that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Around Town

Hunger in Watertown: Task Force Tackles Social Needs, Tries to Fills Gaps Left by State, Local Programs

By |

Jan Singer, left, the former Executive Director of the Watertown Community Foundation, discussed how the Foundation responded to food insecurity during the Pandemic with journalists Maya Shwayder and Charlie Breitrose. (Photo by Dan Hogan / WCA-TV)

As the numbers of people facing a scarcity of food, worried about losing their home, or paying for utilities rose at the start of the Pandemic, a group of people in Watertown was gathered to bring together their knowledge of how to serve those in need. The task force continues to meet regularly, and tries to figure out ways to fill the gaps and patch the cracks in the local, state, and federal social services programs.

This story is the third in a series by Watertown News, in conjunction with Watertown Cable Access Television, called “Watertown’s Hidden Problem: Food Insecurity Among Us.” (See part one here). The Task Force

Jan Singer, who was executive director of the Watertown Community Foundation when COVID-19 hit, said the Community Resilience Task Force came about when the Foundation got a grant from the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund aimed at providing assistance in key areas such as housing, childcare, and food security. Singer and members of the Foundation board quickly realized that they needed to gather the experts to help them direct the funds where they were needed most.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Provides $40,000 in Health and Education Grants

By |

The following information was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation awarded $40,487 in health and education grants during the fall grant cycle to invest in healthy, bright futures for Watertown’s families and kids. Healthy Watertown Grants Will Keep People Healthy and Save Lives

“We are so impressed by the quality of the proposals we received to address the health and well-being of the Watertown community,” said Emily Barclay, WCF Board Secretary and Healthy Grants Committee Chair. “There is more need in Watertown than we can possibly know. This year’s grants support programs that touch every age group and support some of the most vulnerable people in Watertown.”

The Watertown Community Foundation awarded a total of $7,500 in grants to the Watertown Boys and Girls Club for afternoon snacks, the Watertown Housing Authority for hygiene and cleaning supplies for residents, Enhance Asian Community on Health for a stability movement program for elders, and the Watertown Police Department for the free NARCAN program. Education Program Grants To Enhance the Excellence of Our Schools

“This year we were excited to see so much interest in our Education Grant program.

Around Town

Watertown’s Hidden Problem: Food Insecurity Among Us (First Part of a Series)

By |

Food on the shelfs at the Watertown Food Pantry, which has seen an increase in the number of people using its services since the start of the Pandemic. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

For many, Watertown is a destination for food and eating, with dozens of restaurants, markets small and large, and a farmers market through the warmer months. However, a significant number of residents have trouble affording to feed themselves and their families. The hunger problem in Watertown is often not visible, but those who provide assistance and services to people in need have noticed a recent increase in the number of people in town facing food insecurity, spiking during the Pandemic. And, while the COVID cases have dropped, the numbers of people going to Watertown’s two food pantries, or needing help to put enough food on their table has remained at about the same level.

Entertainment

Watertown Shows Off Its Talent at Community Foundation Event

By |

Performers took to the stage at Arsenal Yards for the Watertown Community Foundation’s Watertown’s Got Talent. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The second annual Watertown’s Got Talent drew singers, dancers, and musicians of all ages this week. The Oct. 24 event raises money for the Watertown Community Foundation and was held at a stage on the River Green at Arsenal Yards. And the winners are ….