Amherst Survival Center
elping Neighbors in Need
FOOD
Our Food and Nutrition Program is the backbone of the Center.
How to use our food services:
Come to the Center during our open hours. All food and clothing services are free and available every day, to anyone who comes to the Center. Only pantry visits are limited to once per month and to individuals from specific towns. To find out what to expect when you come to the Center, see our “frequently asked questions.”
How to volunteer for these services? click here.
How to make a financial donation to these services? click here.
Please click on the service below to find out about the program and its schedule.
- Food Recovery Program & Fresh Food Distribution
- Our Community Meals: Hot Lunch, Breakfast Bar & Thursday Light Supper
- Food Pantry
- Senior Mobile Nutrition Program (also known as Senior Mobile Pantry)
Schedule – Community Partner Assisting with SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or food stamps)
CLOTHING
The Community Store
(formerly known as the Free Store)
The Community Store’s Schedule (to shop)
Shopping in the Store
Information for shoppers here.
Donating to the Store
Information for donors to the store (schedule, what the Store will and will not accept) here.
Community Store Basic Information:
- Our inventory consists of donated goods from people and businesses in the community.
- We accept donations of: gently worn clothes (no damaged clothing please!), shoes, coats, household items (small appliances, linens, towels, plates, flatware, etc.), outdoor living equipment (tents, outdoor stoves, sleeping bags, backpacks).
- Participants (customers or shoppers) can come in every day we’re open and select one bag’s worth of items, for free. We provide the bag.
- Participants can make requests for specific items in our Request Log. They’ll be matched with the items, if and when they are donated.
- Please do not leave donations outside the Center when the Center is closed.
- Please when donating clothing and household items to the store, we would greatly appreciate if you could deliver the donations in bags, boxes, or tubs that you do not need returned.Thank you for your understanding!
The Community Store does not accept donations of used furniture. Places to buy or donate used furniture can be found here.
Questions about the Community Store?
e-mail Susan Cox, the Store Coordinator at susan@amherstsurvival.org or call 549-3968 x101
Volunteers and The Community Store
Volunteers perform the tasks needed to operate The Community Store, with the support and administration of the Store Coordinator. Click here for information on how to volunteer for these programs.
Special Activities
- Tents and Sleeping Bags: we collect tents and sleeping bags, and outdoor living equipment (stoves, etc) March-April to distribute in April.
- Children’s Corner: The Community Store’s Children’s Corner includes children’s clothes in all sizes, toys and games, and children’s books.
- Prom Attire: we’ve accepted donations in the spring of prom attire and have made it available to high schoolers.
- Winter coats, boots: in all sizes, for women, men, and children
- Socks: the Store can always use new clean socks (all sizes).
- Holiday Gift Program: We gratefully accept donations of NEW children’s books (all ages) and family board games to distribute to families in our Food Pantry during the month of December.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Our health and wellness programs include:
- our free walk-in health clinic
- our free physical exercise program (on Mondays)
- our free Health Resource Library
- our partnership with the Traveling Tooth Fairy
- our collaboration with Health Care for the Homeless and helping people get health insurance (on Mondays 1-3pm)
- our fresh food distribution, insuring access to fresh produce
- our hosting of seasonal vaccine clinics (for information on the Town of Amherst’s Health Department’s Immunization Clinic, click here)
- our patient navigation services.
Schedule of Walk-In Free Health Clinic
In the summer, our free walk-in health clinic sessions will be:
MONDAYS: 12:30PM-1:30PM, and
THURSDAYS: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
- The Amherst Survival Center’s Drop-In Free Health Clinic this month has 1 one-hour weekly session.
- It is operated by volunteer physicians, a volunteer nurse, and Dale Rice, our Clinic Coordinator. Interested in volunteering in the clinic? Click here for more information.
- We also host a monthly dental clinic with The Traveling Tooth Fairy
Schedule – Dental Services with the The Traveling Tooth Fairy:
- Appointments recommended. Drop-in slots available.
- Last Thursday of the month: 11:30am – 4:00pm
Schedule – Community Partner Assisting with Health Insurance
- Mondays: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm, Brenda from Health Care for the Homeless
COMMUNITY
Above all, the Amherst Survival Center offers community for the hundreds of people who come to the Center every day.
Community is created by our participants, our volunteers, our staff, and our supporters.
Here are some specific ways we create community at the Amherst Survival Center:
- Volunteer
- Music Concerts as part of our TUNES@NOON program
- Supportive services by our Community Partners
- Weekly Exercise and Yoga Classes
- Community Events
- Thursday afternoon movies at the Center (3:00pm and 5:00pm showings)
- Thursday Healthy Cooking Classes during the year
- Field Trips
- Social Media (see below)
