HCN News & Notes

MLKFS Receives $100,000 Emergency Pantry Funding from MassMutual Foundation

SPRINGFIELD — Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services (MLKFS) announced the continued investment by, and partnership with, the MassMutual Foundation through a recent grant of $100,000 to support its emergency food pantry.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services food pantry provides healthy food options to nearly 250 individuals and families each week. The pantry also serves as a community resource, offering access to medical support through various local health, wellness, and nutrition partners.

“The MassMutual Foundation’s investment in MLK Family Services will ensure the continuity of essential services, particularly by supporting personnel and enhancing the resource capacity needed to operate the emergency food pantry,” said Shannon Rudder, CEO of MLKFS. “Funding from this initiative will help to ensure these services remain viable and open to any Western Massachusetts resident.”

The MassMutual Foundation partners with local community members and organizations to help build financial resilience leading to future opportunities for all.

“We are stronger when we come together as a community,” said Dennis Duquette, head of MassMutual Community Responsibility and president of the MassMutual Foundation. “Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services’ food pantry addresses a critical need for families struggling to make ends meet, and we are proud to help them expand their impact.”