SWAMPSCOTT — On most Wednesday evenings at Anchor Food Pantry, Susan Downs-Cripps can be found moving easily between shelves of cereal and pasta, greeting visitors by name, and answering questions with a team of dedicated volunteers.
She knows the well-stocked shelves by heart. They’re marked for convenience. Red tape means fruits, green means vegetables. End-of-day treats from local bakeries are delivered by SPUR, a Marblehead volunteering organization. Small things, maybe, but things Downs-Cripps knows matter.
“It’s not always just about having what you need,” she said, gesturing towards a package of vanilla cupcakes and mason jars of prepped homemade soup kits — a welcome sight after Monday’s blizzard. “It’s little things like this that make our visitors so happy.”
Downs-Cripps, who recently stepped into the role of president after serving for many years on the Anchor Food Pantry’s board on Burrill Street, has been involved with the pantry since its early days. The organization held its first meeting in February 2020, just weeks before COVID-19 shut down daily life.
Cathy Kalpin, another board member, has been around since the very first meeting. She explained that they had initially planned a gradual rollout, but launched just a month later in crisis mode, packing and distributing bags out of Swampscott High School. Eventually, the group found its way to their current town-owned space in the former police department building.
What began as an emergency response has grown into a permanent, volunteer-driven operation that now serves between 75 and 85 households in a typical week.
“A lot of food pantries, people can only come once a month,” Downs-Cripps said. “Here, people can come once a week.”
That weekly access is intentional. The Anchor’s model centers on dignity and choice. Visitors use a color-coded shopping guide based on family size and select their own fruits, vegetables, proteins, and more. Every visitor can take a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, ground beef or turkey, and margarine. Signs are printed in English, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Russian.
“We like to keep visitors happy,” Downs-Cripps said. “And we want to make sure everybody has what they need.”
About 90% of the pantry’s food comes from the Greater Boston Food Bank, with the rest supplied by local donations. Some days, generosity arrives in bulk — a recent donor dropped off cases of green beans, tomato sauce and pasta “out of the good of his heart,” Downs-Cripps said.
During the total government shutdown last Fall, SNAP funds were temporarily frozen, leaving millions of people statewide struggling to feed their families. During that time, Downs-Cripps said she watched her community respond in force.
“It was amazing… The generosity of people. We were just overwhelmed and so gratified that people care for their neighbors,” she said. “It was really, really heartwarming to see all of that.”
Still, as SNAP eligibility requirements shift and grocery costs remain high, more families are turning to the pantry to supplement their budgets. Food insecurity affects roughly 2 million people statewide and 34% of households in Essex County. At the same time, SNAP has historically covered nine meals for every one provided by charitable pantries — meaning that when federal support shrinks, the demand on local shelves grows.
Downs-Cripps said the food pantry has definitely seen an increase in need in recent months, but she doesn’t seem to linger on the pressure. Instead, she points to what the pantry is able to offer: diapers and wipes for young families, razors, deodorant, and cleaning products – all things not covered by SNAP. They’re meeting their level of need, she says. Something that is increasingly rare for food pantries nationwide.
The team at the Anchor is made up entirely of volunteers. Students from the middle school unload shipments for community service hours. Retirees stock shelves. Board members coordinate deliveries and run drop-in hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. The pantry operates on donated time and shared commitment.
“You develop a little rapport with the people,” Downs-Cripps said. “It’s very rewarding.”
The Anchor Food Pantry is open to residents of Nahant and Swampscott on Mondays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. Donations are accepted on Wednesdays from 5-6 p.m.
