The North Reading Food Pantry is located in the center of town at 150 Haverhill Street, North Reading, MA.

Our client shopping hours are:

Every Monday morning: 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

1st & 3rd Monday evening of each month: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Please note: we are open on most Monday holidays, except Memorial Day and Labor Day. On these holidays, we are open on Tuesdays instead. Additionally, if July 4th, Christmas, or New Year's Day falls on a Monday, or if North Reading schools are canceled due to a snow day, we will inform our clients of our adjusted opening hours.

We are here to support any North Reading resident or anyone who regularly attends a church community within the town of North Reading who is experiencing food insecurity. If you meet either of these criteria and need a little extra help putting food on the table, you are welcome here.

Important: To ensure we can provide the best possible service, we ask that all new clients contact us before showing up to shop. You can reach us by email at nrfp@nrfoodpantry.org or by phone at 978-276-0040 to schedule a time to meet.

To protect your privacy and make your first visit as smooth as possible, please contact us before your first visit at nrfp@nrfoodpantry.org or 978-276-0040.

Once you’ve connected with us, you will just need to bring a form of identification and a proof of residency (such as a recent utility bill) or documentation showing your local church affiliation to your scheduled shopping time. Registration is entirely confidential.

We strive to provide a well-rounded, dignified shopping experience with a wide variety of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable items. Our selection typically includes:

Fresh Foods: Seasonal fresh produce, milk, eggs, cheese, and yogurt.

Proteins: A variety of meats, poultry, and fish.

Pantry Staples: Cereal, pasta, rice, bread, coffee/tea, juice, canned goods, tuna, peanut butter, and soups.

Household & Personal Care: Basic toiletries, paper products, personal care items, and household cleaning supplies.

While our needs change throughout the year, we consistently rely on donations of high-quality, non-perishable staples. You can view a current list of our most needed items here.

Items we generally need are:

• Canned proteins (tuna, chicken, salmon)

• Hearty soups, stews, and chili

• Peanut butter and jelly

• Cereal and oatmeal

• Personal care items (shampoo, toothpaste, soap)

You can drop off food and household donations directly at the pantry (150 Haverhill Street) during our dedicated donation drop-off windows:

Mondays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Fridays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Please do not leave items by our door, as we are required to dispose of them.

We also have a fantastic community partners! You can drop off non-perishable donations during regular business hours at

• Brissonté - 157 Main St.

• Fit Revolution - 55 Concord St.

• Flint Library - 147 Park St.

• Post Office - 174 Park St.

• Stop & Shop - 265 Main St.

Yes. To ensure the safety and health of our clients, we strictly cannot accept:

• Expired food items (please check dates before donating!)

• Opened, partially used, or unsealed packaging

• Homemade foods or baked goods

• Items in rusted, dented, or severely damaged cans

• Medications or dietary supplements

Because we are a 100% volunteer-run organization, we are always looking for passionate community members to join our team! It takes a wide variety of skills to power the pantry, so there is a role for everyone.

Opportunities include:

• Weekly Operations: Assisting as a personal shopper, loading grocery bags into client cars, checking expiration dates, stocking shelves, or helping with the facility cleaning crew.

• Logistics & Heavy Lifting: Unloading our delivery trucks from the Greater Boston Food Bank, picking up food donations around town, traffic patrol during busy hours, or even seasonal outdoor tasks like wintertime shoveling and springtime pruning.

• Behind-the-Scenes & Community Touchpoints: Helping with accounting, facility management, coordinating with our youth services groups, or joining the dedicated team that hand-writes thank-you cards to our generous donors.

How to contact us: If you’re ready to lend a hand, please email us directly at nrfp@nrfoodpantry.org. Let us know a little bit about your availability or any specific areas you're interested in, and our volunteer coordinator will get back to you with our current openings!

We are proud to say that the North Reading Food Pantry is a 100% volunteer-run organization. We have no paid staff. From our logistics, accounting, and facility management to the friendly volunteers who stock the shelves and assist our clients, we are entirely powered by the community. Our food and funding come entirely from the generosity of local residents, businesses, faith communities, and partnerships like the Greater Boston Food Bank and Spoonfuls.