By Nick Grabbe

Fifty years ago, a single mother living in Amherst was struggling. Her name was Jane Holappa, and she didn’t have enough money to meet all her expenses. Her electricity had been cut off.

Jane reached out to friends and neighbors for help, even though she found it slightly embarrassing. She came to believe that no one should have to struggle in isolation for her daily survival.

So she started storing donated food and clothing in her basement and made it available to anyone in need. This was the origin of the Amherst Survival Center (read more about its history here).

Today, the Survival Center has its own building at 138 Sunderland Road (with donated solar panels on the roof) and a full-time staff of 17 people dedicated to helping neighbors in need. Those needs have grown dramatically in the five years since Covid, and the Center now provides over 1.5 million meals a year.

What hasn’t changed is its collective spirit, and its belief that everyone should be met with respect, kindness and belonging.

“The Survival Center has always been more than a place to get food,” said Executive Director Carleen Basler. “It is a place where people find the strength to keep going – where resistance looks like generosity, and resilience looks like hope.”

Basler said there is no organization in the area that provides such an array of social services, that is able to attract and keep track of 500 volunteers, that has such an extensive staff, and that receives $1.5 million a year in support from donors and town government.

There may be no comparable organization in all of Massachusetts.  

What does it say about Amherst that our state representative’s previous job was director of the Survival Center? How cool is that? Here’s what Mindy Domb has to say:

“The Amherst Survival Center is extraordinary. Building on a vision of neighbors supporting neighbors, it has developed a remarkable system for food recovery and distribution, expanded its pantry to include fresh milk and diapers, and hosted other community services under its roof, all fueled by donations of time and money.” 

People often come to the Center who never imagined that they might need help with their food budgets. Staff and volunteers don’t ask why they’re there, and no money changes hands. You don’t have to live in Amherst. “People feel like they’re seen, and if you don’t want to be seen, you’re left alone,” Basler said.

Staff and volunteers prepare and serve nutritious hot lunches four days a week. A food pantry provides up to two weeks of groceries (it’s a little like shopping at a small store) to residents of 13 towns. Local farms and stores donate fresh fruit, vegetables and bread that’s given out to about 175 people a day. Since September, the Center has run a UMass-funded food pantry on the campus, in the former Newman Center building.

The amount of food distributed has tripled in the last 10 years, Basler said. And in that time, the number of full-time staff has also tripled. Staff members receive training in addressing homelessness, poverty and abuse, and how to de-escalate tension. They know what to do if ICE agents show up, and they have access to a LUCE hotline.

The Survival Center offers more than just food. There is a free medical clinic Mondays from noon to 2. Guests can receive help with SNAP benefits, health insurance, housing, job searches and mental health. Unhoused guests can take showers, store belongings, wash clothes and receive mail there. There is often live music. The Survival Center also provides haircuts, massage, sewing help, meditation sessions and winter coat distribution.

In addition to food, the pantry provides some life essentials that can’t be purchased with SNAP benefits, such as soap, toothpaste, diapers and menstrual products. There’s even free pet food.

The Center provides unexpected benefits for volunteers, who get to experience the satisfaction of helping people in need. There’s a well-organized sign-up for defined shifts distributing food, transporting it from stores, stocking shelves, cooking and serving lunch, assisting guests in the pantry, and serving as receptionist. Many a guest who comes to the Center for food winds up as a volunteer.

The Survival Center’s biggest annual fundraiser is coming up April 18 from noon to 4. It’s called Empty Bowls, and community members can enjoy soup prepared by local restaurants (along with bread, salad and dessert) and take home handmade bowls donated by local craftspeople. Learn more and buy tickets here.

If you’d like to donate to the Survival Center, click here.

The Center is planning a 50^th anniversary celebration in the fall. In the meantime, the staff face some challenges, like finding a medical professional to volunteer one evening a week and what to do about cramped space in the basement storage area.

The Center’s name can be problematic, Basler said. It’s not going to change, but the word “survival” may deter some people from coming in. “Some working-class people who could benefit from two weeks of groceries would never think of it because they have an idea of the people who come here,” she said.

The reality is that all kinds of people come to the Amherst Survival Center. There are well-dressed people coming from their jobs alongside those who linger in the dining room for two hours after lunch. There are many people who speak languages other than English, and some volunteers provide help with translation.

Mindy Domb considers the Center to be rooted in our community’s needs and its abundance.

“It is sustained by kindness, generosity, and a belief in the dignity of all,” she said. “It is a lifesaver for all of us — participants, staff, volunteers, and donors — offering each of us connection and an opportunity to care for one another.” 

All photos by Nick Grabbe.

This is the first of two posts about the Survival Center. A later post will feature comments from guests, staff and volunteers.