Framingham Food Pantry Seeks Donations After Receiving Eviction Notice

FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – For Rosalie Smolinsky, the Pearl Street Cupboard and Café in Framingham is a lifeline.

She relies only on social security as she picks through fruits and breads.

"It's the only way you can survive," she told WBZ-TV's Beth Germano.

Survival is what the food pantry is facing, issued an eviction notice when it couldn't afford a more than doubling of its monthly rent to remain at the location it's been for five years.

"We did not know it was going to happen," said Paul Mina, United Way of Tri-County President.

Location for one of the state's largest food pantries is everything for Norma Straughn whose only way to get there is on foot, stretching out her groceries with monthly visits.

"When you're unemployed you depend on this food to help out in a day to day situation," said Straughn.

The pantry distributes at least 1.5 million pounds of food a year that helps some 4,000 families and 19,000 individuals.

An eviction would be devastating to those who depend on it.

"People need this. If it closed down we don't know what they would do," said volunteer Virginia Nicholson.

The pantry, part of the United Way, has an opportunity to purchase a nearby building with the help of its current owner, who's making the sale a little sooner than he had anticipated.

"Financially I'd wait four or five years for the real estate market to improve a little bit. But God chooses timing, you don't always choose your timing," said Roger Challen.

While it seems a done deal at the new building, the pantry is still short on cash to ensure the move this summer hoping to raise $200,000.

"There's nerves now, I'm still very concerned about it," said Mina. "It's like putting together a patchwork quilt. You don't know what you've got until the end."

Donations are what make the pantry thrive. Organizers are now hoping they can get some help to keep helping others.

To donate, visit www.uwotc.org/brick.