A new food pantry donated by Stop & Shop was officially opened at Dana-Farber. In the photo on the right, Stop & Shop President Roger Wheeler (left) talks with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute President and CEO Dr. Ben Ebert. Photo: Jay Willet/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — One of the last things children with cancer and their families should be worried about is where their next meal is coming from.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new on-site food pantry located inside the Smith Building, made possible by Stop & Shop.
The pantry initially will serve Dana-Farber's pediatric patients and their households.
Over the next few months, the pantry will expand and provide service to adult patients and their families across the Dana-Farber network.
Dr. Ben Ebert, president and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said the pantry is addressing one of the issues that interferes with a patient's treatment and recovery: food insecurity. "We're so proud to have this," he said. "We want to provide everything we possibly can for our patients and their families, particularly our pediatric patients. Food insecurity is an important determinant of outcome for our patients."
Stop & Shop donated $1 million to open the pantry.
Its president, Roger Wheeler, said the chain first started building food pantries inside schools, and it just made sense to partner with hospitals like Dana Farber. "Learning more about the need here, it just became an obvious extension."
Wheeler said Stop & Shop is donating an additional half-million dollars to operate and sustain the food pantry at Dana-Farber.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett (@JayWilletWBZ) reports.