Direct Services

Direct Services provides immediate assistance for basic human needs like food, warmth and shelter. Establishing personal relationships with neighbors and providing services in a respectful manner are important aspects of this ministry.

Neighbors receive balanced food boxes once a week. On Tuesdays neighbors can choose the items that go into their boxes from what we have available - acknowledging that they know best what their families will eat. Personal care items like soap and toothpaste, paper products like toilet paper and facial tissues, and cleaning items like laundry detergent are available as well as food items. Infant formula, baby food and disposable diapers are also available. On Fridays neighbors receive fresh bread and produce.

As funding is available, neighbors can receive help with rent or utility bills or emergency oil shipments. Neighborhood Ministries makes payments directly to utility companies or landlords and works closely with other agencies in the area to stretch our resources.
Pregnant women receive new layettes to bring their babies home from the hospital.

In addition, a special food distribution by appointment takes place the week before Thanksgiving. This food distribution includes dessert items, additional food items like stuffing and gravy, and either a turkey or supermarket voucher. Neighbors get to choose the specific items put into these food boxes.

The week before Christmas, low-income neighborhood parents come in by appointment to choose gift items for them to give the children living with them. Donations are sorted by age for children from infants through teens. Parents can choose one gift per child plus a package of underwear and a hat and glove set. They also get wrapping paper and a small gift for themselves as a token of our appreciation for the hard work they are doing on an ongoing basis.

Neighborhood Ministries is part of the Serve New England food-buying cooperative through which any person can purchase a package of food for $20.00 and two hours of community service. The food package is valued at about $36. Packages are bought at the beginning of the month and picked up at the end of the month.