St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

In 2019 we successfully completed our fourth, three-month winter season of offering hot meals and a warm and dry place to sleep to those of us who need it.  I am delighted to say that St Andrew’s Church has taken the lead in this island effort, and by offering our resources, and by a number of us offering some real staff time, we are showing some real heart.  Heart for ministry, a heart for the poor, a heart for the sick, and for those who need food, clothing and shelter.  And some of us, I’m pleased to add, are beginning to see those less fortunate than we are as people deserving of our time and attention—and true caring and sacrifice.

Summer Food Service Program

Healthy, delicious lunches for the community, free to all ages.

When and where will the program take place?
Lunches will be served at the Oak Bluffs Library, the West Tisbury Library, and the Family Center between July 9th and August 17th.

Lunches will also be served the Martha’s Vineyard Boys and Girls Club and the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools English Language Learner Summer Program for enrolled students in these programs.

Community Suppers on Friday Nights
Due to concerns with the coronavirus, dinners will be available starting at 5pm for take home meals only.
Call 508-693-0332 for more info or for questions.

Leave a message for Rebecca Jamison at Good Shepherd Parish 508-693-0342 if you are in need of a warm place to go during a winter storm.

COVID-19 Update:  The Pantry is open and keeping to our regular hours; Saturday 10 - 12, Monday and Wednesday 2 - 4.  We are following the CDC’s guidelines and working hard to be safe while meeting the increased needs in our community. But we need your help.  Please Donate.  If you are low-risk, healthy, and comfortable doing so, please volunteer.  Thank you for taking care of yourself and others, because no one should go hungry on Martha's Vineyard.

Since its inception in 1981, the Island Food Pantry has had a simple but effective mission: neighbors helping neighbors get through the winter on Martha’s Vineyard. In recent years, however, the Food Pantry has evolved in several significant ways to better serve island residents in times of need.

The Pantry expanded from an off-season operation to a full twelve months of service. It reorganized its pick-up site so that clientele are able to select the food that best meets their family’s dietary needs and preferences, and transformed its operations to offer a healthier diversity of food. By joining the Greater Boston Food Bank, the organization makes better use of its resources, buying more than 16,000 pounds of packaged, refrigerated, and frozen food to distribute each month. Nearly 800 households – some 1,500 children, adults, and seniors – have reaped the benefits of these changes.

People experiencing food insecurity come from every segment of our population: seniors, professionals, hourly workers, seasonal employees, and families, to name a few. They may include your neighbors, customers, colleagues, and friends, people who require food support for a few weeks, months, or longer. These days the need is much greater, and the solutions, though more complex and costly, are motivated by the island community’s caring and compassion.

Our team of more than 60 longtime and new volunteers has risen to the challenge, contributing their time, energy, and enthusiasm week after week as our operations continue to increase in scope and complexity. Working in collaboration with dozens of other island organizations, churches, businesses, and individuals, the Island Food Pantry is making great strides to address hunger on the island of Martha’s Vineyard and provide a dependable source of nutritious food all year long.

All parish life events and Breakfast-In-Between

Sacred Ground is dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race, racism, and whiteness while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity. The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they intersect with European American histories.

Sacred Ground is a resource coming out of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. This series is especially designed to help white people talk with other white people, while being open to all racial/ethnic groups. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day – all while grounded in our call to faith, hope and love.