Memorial School is partnering with the Burlington Family and Life Center to help out and donate to the Burlington Food Pantry this holiday season. We will be working closely with this organization to help support families in need this year. Please contact the guidance team for any further information regarding this organization.
Memorial School Guidance Counselors:
Danielle Flaccavento- flaccavento@bpsk12.org
Jamie Martin- jmartin@bpsk12.org
More about People Helping People
Our purpose is to establish a town-wide effort to provide assistance to residents of Burlington who have an emergency need for food, medicine, heat or utilities and to provide for holiday food baskets and gifts for children.
People Helping People operates solely on donations. 86% of donations collected goes directly to support Burlington residents in urgent financial situations.
History
People Helping People began in the late 70’s when a volunteer from a localchurch in Burlington saw the need for basic assistance within his community.
His outreach began by handing out Thanksgiving baskets of food from the
American Legion Hall in town. He also gave gifts to needy children at Christmas
as the Burlington Santa. As word of his efforts grew so did the need. Another
volunteer was recruited to take over as the Burlington Santa, and in 1980, a third
volunteer began the Community Pantry. The pantry, operating out of the
Congregational Church basement, supplied donated food to Burlington residents
who were in need of food all year long, not just around the holidays. The
activities of People Helping People were funded largely by the Congregational Church’s Deacon’s Fund.
The Congregational Church continues to be one of our largest contributors. In 1981, a Burlington Policeman
found a mother and two children living out of a car. The Burlington Clergy Association was told about the
situation and made an immediate decision to help, not only this family, but others like them. They established
the Burlington Covenant for Basic Needs and turned to the Burlington Community Life Center to centralize the
screening and funding process. In the early days, funds were provided mainly by houses of worship in town
represented by the Burlington Clergy Association. As the need for emergency help grew in town, so did the
organization. In 1988, these few volunteers incorporated People Helping People as an umbrella organization
combining the Burlington Community Pantry, the Covenant for Basic Needs and the Burlington Santa, or
Holiday Program as it is known today.
Board of Directors
Rev. Angela Wells, President, Email
Tom Killilea, Vice-President, Email
Gail Wolfe, Secretary, Email
Shelley Joyce, Treasurer, Email
Tom Killilea, Vice-President, Email
Gail Wolfe, Secretary, Email
Shelley Joyce, Treasurer, Email
Christine Shruhan, Covenant for Basic Needs, Email
Rev. Angela Wells, Burlington Clergy Representative, EmailJo-Ann Gorassi, St. Malachy’s Representative,
EmailLinda Roscoe – Burlington Presbyterian Church Representative, Email
Judy Walsh, St Mark’s Representative, Holiday Program Coordinator Email
Janet Fitzgerald, St. Margaret’s Representative, Email
Tom Killilea, United Church of Christ Congregational Representative, Email
Gail Wolfe, Temple Shalom Emeth Representative, Email
Rev. Angela Wells, Burlington Clergy Representative, EmailJo-Ann Gorassi, St. Malachy’s Representative,
EmailLinda Roscoe – Burlington Presbyterian Church Representative, Email
Judy Walsh, St Mark’s Representative, Holiday Program Coordinator Email
Janet Fitzgerald, St. Margaret’s Representative, Email
Tom Killilea, United Church of Christ Congregational Representative, Email
Gail Wolfe, Temple Shalom Emeth Representative, Email
Burlington Community Food Pantry
Jane McIninch
Christie Ventura781-270-6625
burlingtonpantry@gmail.com
Jane McIninch
Christie Ventura781-270-6625
burlingtonpantry@gmail.com
Holiday Program
Judy Walsh617-797-6786
jwalsh@peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org
Judy Walsh617-797-6786
jwalsh@peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org
Mission statement:
People Helping People is a non-profit, predominantly volunteer support program.
Our mission is to establish and sustain a community-wide effort to provide assistance to residents
of the town of Burlington, Massachusetts who have a need for food, medicine, heat or utilities and to provide for
holiday food baskets and gifts for children.
Our mission is to establish and sustain a community-wide effort to provide assistance to residents
of the town of Burlington, Massachusetts who have a need for food, medicine, heat or utilities and to provide for
holiday food baskets and gifts for children.
PHP is the umbrella organization overseeing the Burlington Community Food Pantry,
The Burlington Covenant for Basic Needs and the Holiday Program.
The Burlington Covenant for Basic Needs and the Holiday Program.
As a community, we strive to address the needs of those who find themselves in difficult financial
circumstances by providing them with basic needs and more importantly compassion,
understanding and support.
circumstances by providing them with basic needs and more importantly compassion,
understanding and support.
Please consider volunteering your time to help make our programs a success.
