Wareham Food Pantry Expands Services to Fight Hunger

This week's Southcoast Health Community Spotlight shines on Damien's Place in Wareham and Executive Director Rachel Resendes.

Damien's Place recently moved from its longtime Cranberry Road location to a much larger facility at 242 Marion Road in Wareham.

"We needed space to accommodate what we have going on right now. We've almost tripled what we're providing to people and what we have for services that are needed," said Resendes.

What is Needed Most on the SouthCoast

"Food. Food insecurity is a major issue, and healthy food in particular is needed," Resendes emphasized. "While fresh food has a shorter shelf life, we're fortunate to have several farms that grow for us, like Frogfoot Farms in Marion."

Thanks to these partnerships, Damien’s Place can now offer generous portions of fresh produce, including lettuces that extend the life of household groceries. "Instead of having a week's worth of food, they're going to have two weeks' worth of food," she said.

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Cooking Classes Empower Families

To further support the community, Damien’s Place now offers free cooking classes. These classes teach families how to stretch ingredients and create healthy, budget-friendly meals using the items they receive. They also introduce new recipes and demonstrate how to take full advantage of the pantry’s offerings.

How to Donate to Damien’s Place

There are several ways to support Damien's Place:

Online: Visit damiensfoodpantry.org
to make a monetary donation.

In Person: Drop off food, baby formula, baby items, or toiletries. Tax-deductible receipts are provided on-site.

Other Donations: Even if items cannot be used by Damien’s Place directly, they’re often redistributed through partner resources.

Fundraising Is the Next Big Step

"We’re learning how to get into more fundraising because we’ve never had to do that before," said Resendes.

Their first major fundraising event launches September 7, a 45-mile motorcycle run from Damien’s Place to Redmond Hall. Tickets can be purchased on the pantry’s Facebook page or website.