Stepping up for our neighbors
Stepping up for our neighbors
Good morning friends,
In a nation that has so much, it is inexcusably cruel to deny those in need of life’s basic necessities.
But here we go — again — in a year that has already been bitterly unkind to so many.
Barring a last-minute court order, 42 million Americans — including one in six Massachusetts residents — will lose access to critical food benefits on Saturday when the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shuts down.
Of those affected in Massachusetts, approximately one-third are children. A quarter are seniors. Nearly a third are people with disabilities.
In response, nearly 20 chamber member restaurants are jumping in to help (with more expected to join in).
They’ve offered to donate up to 25% of all gift card sales from Nov. 1 through Nov. 26 to Spoonfuls — a Newton-based nonprofit that rescues fresh, healthy food and delivers it straight to local pantries, shelters and community programs in Newton, Needham, Watertown, Wellesley and other Greater Boston and MetroWest communities.
Spoonfuls saves food from grocery stores, wholesalers, food services and farms that might otherwise go to waste — then delivers it the same day to organizations serving neighbors who need it most.
The response from our restaurant community has been amazing — especially since so many of these businesses are facing challenges of their own, while other chamber businesses are also stepping up with their own efforts (such as this initiative at Ritcey East in Watertown).
With significant SNAP restrictions scheduled to hit on Jan. 1, private donations will be critical even if — fingers crossed — Federal Judge Indira Talwani steps in today to keep SNAP funded.
“Congress has put money in an emergency fund,” Talwani said yesterday. “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency, when there’s no money, and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits.”
Whether you support Spoonfuls through our Gift Card Give Back program or direct donations, give to your local pantry, or a community fridge, what matters most is that we all pitch in to feed our neighbors right now.
If your restaurant or business wants to join in or help in some other way, email us; We’ll add you to our list of participating members.
Here’s our local food pantries
- Newton Food Pantry
- Centre Street Food Pantry
- Watertown Food Pantry
- Watertown Community Fridge
- Wellesley Food Pantry
- Needham Food Pantry
- Watertown Catholic Food Pantry
- JF&CS Family Table Food Pantry
The state has published information about food resources, other ways to help and a map breaking down the number SNAP recipients in each municipality.
An idea that could put buying a home back in reach for more residents
A grassroots effort to boost the state’s supply of small starter homes is gaining traction— but still has a long way to go.
The proposal would allow single-family homes in any residential zone, provided the lot is at least 5,000 square feet, has 50 feet of frontage, and has access to public sewer and water.
It’s a change would allow developers to build two or more small, less pricey homes on a parcel instead of one McMansion.
And that could be a game-changer in many communities — including ours — and put the dream of owning your own home back in reach for more residents.
Led by Wellesley housing advocate Andrew Mikula, supporters are gathering signatures to put the mandatory zoning change before voters in 2026.
But the effort needs your help.
Sign the petition. Better yet, print it and gather signatures from family, neighbors and around the office. Donations are needed, too.
You can also sign the petition at next week’s Fall Business Breakfast. Look for Mikula’s team near our registration desk when you arrive next Friday at the Newton Marriott.
Friday grab bag
- Here’s hoping your kid gets a potato while trick-or-treating tonight.
- You’re invited to an event discussing the relationship between housing and our economy with the state’s new Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley, Tuesday (Nov. 4), 4 p.m. at the Associated Industries of Massachusetts’ office in Boston.
- The proprietors of The James Pub & Provisions have plans for a new restaurant in Needham Center. Taberna, a Mediterranean small plates tavern, will take over the former Rice Barn location at 1037 Great Plain Ave. (Needham Observer)
- Firebird Pizza Co. is now open on Forest Street in Wellesley, at the former Deluxe Pizza location.
- The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation holds a virtual public meeting on Weds (Nov. 5) 6 p.m. to present findings of Needham’s Cutler Park Reservation trail master plan and solicit feedback on trail-based recreational opportunities.
- The Newtonville Star Market remains closed after the city ordered a shutdown on Oct. 28, following a report that demolition work inside the store may have released asbestos into the building. (Fig City News)
- The Needham Community Council Executive Director, Sandra Robinson, has been selected as the 2025 John R. Heerwagen Award Recipient by the Middlesex Savings Foundation. This award recognizes a strong nonprofit leader whose work has significantly benefited the lives and well-being of residents in its community, which certainly describes Robinson.
- Join the Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities for Meeting the Moment , Nov. 4, from 5 p.m. at Needham Town Hall and online via zoom.
- Looking for a way to support the chamber’s advocacy and programming but you don’t work locally - or perhaps you’re retired? Become a citizen member for $95 a year.
- Ugh. Clocks "fall back" at 2 a.m. Sunday.
Wellesley ratifies Strategic Housing Plan, now what?
This week, a joint meeting of Wellesley’s Select Board and Planning Board voted 7–3 to accept the town’s Strategic Housing Plan — a document intended to guide the town’s future housing policy.
When the draft appeared last summer, we praised it for documenting how Wellesley’s housing shortage harms the town’s demographics, economy and schools — but we criticized its lack of measurable goals.
The final version, by Barrett Planning Group, made tweaks but still omitted concrete targets, prompting much discussion on Tuesday. (See Swellesley Report recap.)
But here’s the bottom line as we see it:
Wellesley faces a projected 9% decline in residents under 20 by 2050 and has already lost 3,100 young professionals over the past decade. The median income for Wellesley workers is just $65,723 — far below the $111,595 earned by residents.
Middle-income families and local workers have been and continue to be priced out. Empty nesters occupy an increasing number of the town’s largest homes, while school enrollments plummet.
Yet not enough town leaders appear to consider that the demographic warnings outlined in the plan requires any urgency.
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It won’t be the same without you
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Finally, a reminder that our Fall Business Breakfast is happening one week from this morning, Friday, Nov. 7, at the Newton Marriott.
It’s our region’s largest annual gathering of business and civic leaders and a special one for us, as we commemorate our 110 years of advocacy.
Our featured speaker will be Massachusetts’ Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, who’ll be joined by NBC10 Boston’s Latoyia Edwards for a fireside chat. We’ll be honoring 2Life Communities’ CEO Amy Schectman with the chamber’s highest honor the R.L. Tennant Award and we will hear from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in her final address to the business community as mayor.
The program starts at 8 a.m. Doors open at 7 a.m. for networking and breakfast.
Over 400 have already registered. It would mean a lot to all of us if you could join us.
And that’s what you need to know for today — Halloween — unless you need to know why you shouldn’t attend a World Series game when Brad Paisley sings the national anthem, if you have an important presentation at work early the next morning.
Go Blue Jays!
President & CEO
Charles River Regional Chamber
617.244.1688
Max Woolf contributed to today’s newsletter.
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