SPRING 2024
Supporting High School Students and Families Planning for the Next Chapter
Empowering youth with critical real-life financial knowledge is vitally important to us. So is supporting programs that make high school students' dreams for their next chapter a reality...like College Affordable.
While the cost of college continues to rise, recent statistics show that that half of students eligible for a Federal Pell Grant never complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) because it is too complicated and confusing. That is money left on the table that could help students finance their education with less loan debt.
College Affordable is a non-profit organization that helps families reduce college costs, minimize debt and maximize their higher education choices. Executive Director Brian Gardiner started College Affordable with partners Gregg Cohen and Polly Ribatt after trying to navigate how to pay for his own child's college education.
College Affordable helps students and families identify available financial aid funds from the government, colleges and third party providers. Additionally College Affordable helps:
- Create a realistic family budget to measure affordability
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Optimize scholarship and grant opportunities at target colleges
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Assist with completion of aid and grant applications
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Review and interpret award letters to allow for fully informed decisions
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Identify additional non-college scholarships
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Review potential lenders to select the best opportunity
Thanks to the Bank's financial support of College Affordable, CA is working with more than 1,000 Newburyport High and Triton Regional High School students in 2024.
Learn more about College Affordable.
Pictured: (Daily News Photo by Keith Sullivan, L-R) NHS Principal Andy Wulf, NHS College & Career Counselor Aaron Smith, Triton College & Career Counselor Karyn Cassidy and Triton Principal Patrick Kelly. (Back) Newburyport School Superintendent Sean Gallagher, IFS President/CEO Mike Jones, and College Affordable Executive Director Brian Gardiner.
WINTER 2023
Striving for Food and Housing Security One Community at a Time
One in 3 people in Massachusetts experienced food insecurity in the past year, with 70% of our food-insecure neighbors living right here in the eastern part of the state.
We are fortunate to have a number of organizations within our market that are committed to being strong partners in the work to end hunger and its roots causes. Please support them in any way you can.
Our Neighbors' Table
Our Neighbors’ Table is committed to establishing a community that provides for the whole person with nourishing food, kindness and dignity.- The Markets at Our Neighbors’ Table are a different kind of grocery store. Each location offers a beautiful, modern market where fresh, healthy food is made available - for free! Each week, you can shop, at no cost, for fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, fish, chicken and more.
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Delivery Service. Our Neighbors' Table is committed to providing fresh, wholesome food where and when people need it. Delivery services are offered to individuals who are home-bound in Amesbury, Groveland, Merrimac, Newburyport or Salisbury in coordination with the local Councils on Aging.
- Community Meals are served every Wednesday from 4 to 6 PM at the Main Street Congregational Church, 145 Main Street, Amesbury. Take-out service begins at 3 PM.
- Holiday Programs at ONT include Thanksgiving meal assistance and groceries, as well as other holiday programs.
For more information and to learn how you can help, visit the ONT website.
The Salem Pantry
The Salem Pantry’s mission is to work collaboratively to empower our diverse local and regional communities by ensuring the essential right to convenient and reliable access to healthy food.- At The Market, located at 47 Leavitt Street, Salem, the shelves are stocked with locally grown produce, dairy, eggs, milk, bread, and protein choices, all of which are completely free. Shoppers get to experience a dignified grocery-store atmosphere as they shop.
- Pop Ups. Visit one of the Pantry's pop up sites conveniently located throughout Salem and find a wide variety of fresh, healthy food completely free. Visit the website for weekly pop up schedules.
- The Salem Pantry Home Delivery program is a service for food insecure members of the Salem community who are physically, mentally, or emotionally unable to attend any of its locations.
- Community Partnerships. The Pantry's community partnerships provide reliable food access for students, residents and clients of partners.
For more information and to learn how you can help, visit The Salem Pantry website.
The Open Door
The mission of The Open Door is to alleviate the impact of hunger in our community. To accomplish this mission they use a variety of practical strategies to connect people to good food, advocate on behalf of those in need, and engage others in the work of building food security.- Gloucester and Ipswich Community Food Pantries. These food pantries provide curbside pick-up for free, with three-to-five-day supplies of emergency groceries to income-qualified residents in The Open Door's service area.
- Mobile Markets. The Open Door offers a variety of Mobile Markets in various locations. The program provides qualifying individuals with up to 20 pounds of fresh produce and protein choices at no cost, as well as nutrition education and outreach. The produce is grown locally and purchased wholesale or is acquired from the Greater Boston Food Bank.
- Second Glance Thrift Store. Donations of gently used clothing, shoes, household items, linens, books, CDs, furniture, jewelry, knickknacks, and artwork help fund food pantry and other food resource programs serving people on the North Shore.
- Open Door Meals. The Open Door hosts a variety of meal offerings: Community Meals, Senior Soup and Salad, SNAP/Food Stamp Assistance, Summer Meals for Kids and more!
For more information and to learn how you can help, visit The Open Door website.
Citizens Inn
Citizens Inn helps families and individuals who are experiencing a housing crisis or food insecurity. Its full spectrum of services provides comprehensive assistance to each person based on their specific needs.- Haven from Hunger Food Pantry. The Food Pantry at Haven from Hunger provided over 1,100 unique households per month from Peabody, Salem, and Lynnfield with fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, and non-perishable goods last year. They sourced over 2.1 million pounds from the Greater Boston Food Bank and rescued from local grocery stores and restaurants for disbursement in the pantry and for the Community Meals.
- Community Meals. Community Meals offer guests a filling, nutritious supper in a friendly atmosphere.
There is no cost for dinner and is open for any persons who are able to join Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4 PM-5:30 PM.
- Resource Center. The Resource Center is the newest program in its build-out of the upper floor at Haven from Hunger. Services are available as a walk-in during the Pantry or Community Meal hours or by appointment.
- Citizens Inn Transition, established in 1990, provides comprehensive case management to families in early recovery in a transitional sober housing environment.
- Citizens Inn Between is an emergency program for families experiencing homelessness. It can house six families at a time, and includes one fully handicapped-accessible room.
- Citizens Inn Homes Program works to ensure families remain stable in permanent housing after placement out of shelter. It provides case management to families placed out of shelter into permanent housing and by developing and maintaining a portfolio of affordable rental opportunities for families.
For more information on these and other programs and to learn how you can help, visit the Citizens Inn website.