Contact MVFB
phone-call

Find Food Fast »

Our new pantry map and schedule is now live!

Agencies

History

History

The Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc. (MVFB) has been transporting, storing and distributing food to our neighbors for over 30 years – since 1991. We were founded as a program of the Middlesex Shelter in Lowell, MA (now known as Lowell Transitional Living Center) in response to the increased need for emergency food in greater Lowell.

When MVFB first started distributing food to a handful of local organizations out of a rented U-Haul truck in 1991, we could not have imagined what the future had in store. The need for emergency food has grown so much in that time, but so has the support we receive from our community.

As of 2022, we have

  • Provided food to hundreds of thousands of our neighbors in the region (over 80,000 just in the last year)
  • Distributed over 63 million pounds of food (that’s more than 48 million meals)!
  • Grown to operate six hunger relief programs, including home grocery delivery for seniors, supplemental food for students, in-school food pantries, and free farmers markets
  • Expanded from providing food to a handful of member agencies to over 100 members (including food pantries, meal programs, shelters, schools, and senior centers)

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our neighbors, and for the support from our community that makes it possible. We continue to seek new, innovative ways to fulfill our mission: to help meet a person’s most profound need for adequate nutrition and freedom from hunger.