The Market by The Salem Pantry opened its doors on April 22nd and exceeded all expectations, welcoming an impressive 250 households from Salem and The North Shore on opening day. Opening weekend consisted of two events celebrating this exciting accomplishment for our organization.

Pre-Opening Event

The excitement began the night before opening on at our Grand Opening Event, where we were joined by a group of our long time supporters, and special guests Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, Senator Joan Lovely, State Representative Manny Cruz, along with North Shore Community Development Coalition’s Deputy Chief Executive Director Felicia Pierce and Jonathan Tetrault, Vice President of Community Impact and Operations at The Greater Boston Food Bank.

North Shore Community Development Coalition’s Deputy Chief Executive Director Felicia Pierce speaks on North Shore CDC’s partnership with The Salem Pantry in opening The Market

Meet Us at The Market
Our Meet Us at The Market event was a free community event held after the first official open hours of The Market. Community members visited to explore the news space, connect with local organizations such as The North Shore Community Development Coalition and North Shore Community Health, and enjoy food provided by Root. We were grateful to have been joined by Congressman Seth Moulton who spoke on food insecurity and the vital role that projects like The Market play.

Congressman Seth Moulton visits The Market

Key Takeaways
We are thrilled to have been able to celebrate this remarkable milestone with our community, including many of our long-term supporters, community partners, active volunteers and pantry guests, who have played a key role in the launch of The Market. The Market’s success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. Since opening day, The Market has seen an average of 750 households visit per week, a clear indication of the high demand for accessible, healthy food in the community. The Market is open at a variety of hours throughout the week, including evenings and weekends. In addition, public pop up pantries are available throughout Salem. New guests can register upon arrival, and there are no income or residential requirements to receive food.