One apple, two milks, one granola bar—an assortment of foods and colors fill the paper bags. Sliding down the table, the bags are carried and passed down to each of the volunteers, who smile and chatter with one another as they prepare weekend lunches for at least 400 students across Brookline.
Initially developed in 2018 by Kim Kushner, Brookline Thrives is a volunteer-run program within the Brookline Food Pantry that serves the Brookline Early Education Program (BEEP) and all K-8 Brookline Public schools to reduce food insecurity. Each week, the organization packs food bags and distributes them throughout schools for students and local families to pick up and enjoy over the weekend. The bags are free for families to pick up after registration, and the organization accommodates most major food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Brookline Thrives manager Sharon Brockmann organizes the volunteer sign-up, management of the food bag productions and distribution of these free food bags. Brockmann said she hopes to reduce food insecurity for families in Brookline and wants to help in any way she can.
“The mission of Brookline Thrives is to ensure that no child comes back to school on a Monday morning hungry,” Brockmann said. “[The food bags are] a nice little bag that we give to anybody who registers for Brookline Thrives. There is no red tape. It’s really quite simple; there’s one Google form that you have to fill out, and we try and make it as easy as possible for anyone who wants to register.”
Brockmann said an additional goal she wants to accomplish is raising awareness that there are people in Brookline with food insecurities and that the town isn’t a wealthy sphere.
“A lot of people think Brookline is this little rich bubble. But, since the pandemic and even before that, there are families who struggle, and it’s not always financial reasons [for] why they’re struggling; it could be for any reason,” Brockmann said.
Boston University junior Isabella Gonzalez said her experience volunteering with Brookline Thrives made her reflect on her community.
“Service in general always teaches you a little bit more about your community,” Gonzales said. “I think that doing service here has opened my eyes to the different types of people that I wasn’t aware of growing up in the suburbs of Boston.”
Throughout the process of packing bags, shift leaders help guide volunteers and ensure bags have everything they need. Shift leader Jake Walters said he enjoys the company of the diverse range of volunteers he meets. These volunteers include high school students, Boston University students and adults from various professional backgrounds.
“While we’re working, we can chat. ‘What are you majoring in? Where do you come from?’ That kind of thing,” Walters said. “It’s just a really nice way to connect with people I wouldn’t normally run into, and I found that the volunteers are all particularly nice.”
Junior Eloise Linas said she not only appreciated serving her community but also forming connections with the other volunteers within the program.
“It’s almost like a mini-community in there,” Linas said. “The person who leads is super nice, will help you with any questions you have and is very hands-on helping us pack the bags. So, I like that aspect of it.”
At the end of the day, Walters said his work in Brookline Thrives is something he looks forward to continuing as more time opens up in his life.
“The thought that there’s a kid who needs this kind of support and that we can help give it to [them], to me, is why we’re here. That’s what it’s all about,” Walters said. “It’s not the hardest job I’ve ever done, believe me. Yet afterward, I feel really like I’ve contributed to something, and I’m oftentimes looking forward to the next week.”
