CCF and City of Cambridge commit $500K to address food insecurity as SNAP benefits face risk

Published On: October 30th, 2025

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October 30, 2025 | With federal food benefits set to run out on Saturday, November 1 as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) and the City of Cambridge today announced $500,000 to prevent hunger among neighbors in Cambridge. Funded equally by the City of Cambridge and CCF, the effort aims to shore up local food pantries preparing to meet increased demand in the coming weeks and provide greater food access to the city’s most vulnerable populations – particularly low-income eligible families with children and older adults.

$200,000 will support the Cambridge Food Pantry Network, a group of eight local nonprofits operating food pantries, to purchase food and expand capacity to respond to the increased need. The remaining $300,000 will enable the purchase of gift cards to local grocery stores for SNAP-eligible families with children, older adults and, Cambridge residents with disabilities who are eligible for SNAP benefits, managed in partnership with the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, the Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge Housing Authority, and Cambridge Council for Aging. Funding will also support transportation of groceries to pantries through Food for Free and other needs.

More than one million people in Massachusetts are at risk of not receiving federal food aid starting November 1. Within Cambridge, over 10,000 Cambridge residents currently use SNAP benefits. With the federal government still shut down, funds for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assistance are set to expire at the beginning of the month.

“As the most vulnerable members of our community are facing a tremendous threat to their most basic access to food, we recognize how important it is to step up now and deepen our support to the households that have been and may imminently be impacted by the loss of this crucial resource,” said Yi-An Huang, Cambridge City Manager. “With the City Council’s support and our strong partnership with the Cambridge Community Foundation, we are proud to commit critical funding to families during this time of uncertainty.”

“When faced with immediate crises like these, Cambridge responds with characteristic determination and comes together to support those most in need,” said Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation. “CCF is incredibly thankful for our responsive City government, CEOC and our food pantries striving to meet this unprecedented demand, and our generous donors who, in moments of crisis, never waver in their support of the most vulnerable in our city.”

Both the City of Cambridge and CCF have been actively addressing the growing problem of food insecurity in Cambridge. In 2023, CCF launched a Food Access and Security Initiative, a combined $1.9 million, multiyear investment designed to strengthen Cambridge’s emergency food system through nonprofit partnerships and collective action. In addition, its Urgent Needs Fund has granted over $160,000 to nonprofits addressing pressing needs in the community, including access to food, and will continue to be a resource for the community.

As another example, the Cambridge Summer Food Program is offered annually and provides free and nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals every weekday to Cambridge youth ages 18 and under. Operated by the City of Cambridge’s Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP), the program served more than 40,000 meals to Cambridge youth this past summer.

Addressing food insecurity is a cross-sector effort engaging city departments, nonprofits, and agencies that are closely linked to those in need. The Cambridge Public Schools is an active partner in the work.

“The Cambridge Public Schools is well-positioned to directly support some of our City’s most vulnerable residents – our youngest residents, many of whom are eligible for these types of benefits. It is well established that students cannot learn effectively when impacted by hunger. These funds will be critical in ensuring students receive the quality educational experience to which they are entitled,” said David Murphy, Superintendent of the Cambridge Public Schools. “In addition to providing free breakfast and lunch to all CPS students – an effort which we will be ramping up effective immediately – the deployment of these funds through the City and CCF will be able to directly benefit thousands of students and families in urgent need.”

Additional Community Support for Families Eligible for SNAP Benefits

Grocery gift card distribution to eligible Cambridge SNAP recipients begins Monday, Nov 10. Please learn more here.
Food for Free Food Markets. Food for Free operates free food markets every month at the Graham & Parks, Peabody/RAUC, Fletcher Maynard, and Cambridge Community Charter School. They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry items. Learn more on the CPS website, here.

Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline has counselors available in 180 languages. Counselors can help you find food assistance through other sources. You can click this link or call 1 (800) 645-8333 to access the hotline.

The Cambridge Food Resource Guide (available in many languages) contains the times and locations for food pantries, community meals, farmers’ markets, and more.

Applications for SNAP benefits continue to be open during the shutdown.

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will process applications, and benefits may be distributed once funding resumes.

Local SNAP information and assistance is available through the Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC). Visit their website for more information.

Residents interested in supporting emergency food access work can donate to CCF’s Urgent Needs Fund, a pool of resources from donors that enables CCF to continuously respond to urgent needs in the community. To give, please visit CCF’s Urgent Needs Fund page.