Common Goods at Westfield State

Common Goods is a welcoming and nonjudgmental food pantry, serving Westfield State University students, faculty and staff who may be experiencing hunger.

Common Goods is a food pantry serving Westfield State University students, faculty and staff who may be experiencing hunger and are struggling to make ends meet. Through Common Goods, we strive to alleviate food insecurity for Westfield State students while they work toward completing their education, as well as for any members of the Westfield State community who are in need of help providing for

themselves and their families. Common Goods provides a safe and welcoming space in which to distribute a variety of nutritious non-perishablefood items and basic necessities at no cost. Common Goods is a very short walk from the main campus. It's housed in the Second Congregational Church, 487 Western Avenue, adjacent to the entrance to the Commuter Parking Lot. Enter through the far right door at the end of the side wing of the church. Go upstairs to the second floor. Note: The food pantry is located on the second floor and there is no elevator access. Accommodations can be made to deliver goods to persons who are unable to walk up the flight of stairs. How does it work? Common Goods strives to create a welcoming, nonjudgmental, and safe environment. It is an “open shelf” pantry. Participants may choose what kinds and what quantities of items they need, and may visit the food pantry as many times as they wish. Visitors will complete a brief intake form (to be filled out only once per semester). Visitors may also fill out an optional survey of preferences of food items and basic necessities so that we can build a supply that will best meet the needs of the community. How the community can help
Food insecurity is an increasing problem on college campuses, both locally and nationally. Common Goods was initiated by the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center at Westfield State University in response to the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Challenge to address the issue of hunger. Westfield State’s neighbor, the Second Congregational Church, generously houses the pantry. No religious affiliation is required for individuals to access the food pantry. Click here for a list of suggested donations. Common Goods invites the support of the campus community to sustain the operation of the pantry. Non-perishable food items and basic necessity donations can be left in designated bins across campus:

Horace Mann Center (Main Lobby)
Wilson Hall (Commuter’s Common Area)
Parenzo Hall (near TRiO, first floor)
Ely Campus Center (Campus Center Service Window and Diversity/Inclusion Offices)
Albert & Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center
Sponsorship of food drives is welcome. Contact [email protected] to collaborate. Community Partners
Common Goods is made possible by the generous support of:

Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center, Chaplains' Council, Interfaith Council
Fostering Student Success Initiative
St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mary’s Parish, Westfield
UCC Second Congregational Church
Sodexo
TRiO Student Support Services Program
Henry Wefing Community Garden
Westfield Foundation
Westfield State University

Common Goods | Westfield State University

05/20/2024

May, June, July, and August 2024 the
Common Goods Food Pantry
will be open every
Tuesday, Noon - 3pm
Please bring back your bags to use again
Thank you
Common Goods is located in the
Second Congregational Church, 487 Western Avenue,
Westfield MA. Use the far right entrance.
For more information contact:
[email protected]
Visit us at

Common Goods | Westfield State University Westfield State University’s 256 acre campus lies just west of Springfield in the beautiful Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, surrounded by mountain views and tree-lined streets.

01/26/2024

Brownie Troop 40353 came to the Common Goods Food Pantry to take a tour and learn about why it is needed, who uses it, and how do we get donations. These four 2nd and 3rd graders had great questions. I think they liked the Westfield State sticker they each received and the Westfield State Nestor stress relief toy. Thank you to their Troop leader Diana Jay for setting up the tour. I may have had a better time than the Brownies.

01/16/2024

Common Goods is open today and tomorrow, Noon -4pm.
Snow will not stop us from opening the doors of the Food Pantry!

12/24/2023

THANK YOU to everyone that helped out the
Common Goods Food Pantry this year.
We are all in this together at Westfield State University.
HOOT HOOT!

12/22/2023

Thank you to Jordan Sutter (Westfield State Class of 2027)
and her Mother, Ali. This is their 7th year organizing
a food drive at the White Oak school.
White Oak is a local school that serves students with
language based learning disabilities, located here in Westfield.
Jordan and her Mother said it was a pleasure to partner with
this warm, generous community to help serve the
Westfield State Common Goods Food Pantry.

12/17/2023

We received a very nice donation from a member of the Westfield community. All these items will be on the shelves of the Common Goods Food Pantry before we open again on Tuesday at Noon.
During the Winter break the Pantry is open every Tuesday from Noon until 3pm.
Did you know that the Pantry is open every week, all year round?

11/29/2023

On Giving Tuesday, the Westfield State Physical Education Club
had a 3V3 Basketball Canned Food Drive Tournament for the
Westfield State Common Goods Food Pantry.
Thank you very much to the Physical Education Club
Co-Presidents, Jordan Conrad and Alexa Richter, for organizing
such a successful event. The P.E. Club collected 133 cans.
LOVE when our students help their fellow students.
Tom Convery
Common Goods Food Pantry Coordinator

11/29/2023

Westfield State’s Giving Julia Hampton comes
through on Giving Tuesday.
New Hall RA, Julia Hampton is a senior at Westfield State,
majoring in Environmental Science.
A few weeks ago, she went to her Residential Director asking if there was a way that they could help students in need during the holiday season.
Julia had envisioned a can drive in which non-perishables
would be collected to benefit students.
After hearing the idea, they knew that the Westfield State Common Goods Food Pantry was a perfect place to donate to.
Over the course of 2-3 weeks, they had residents stop by RA events, RAs at the desk, and the RD Office, to donate what they could.
Today on Giving Tuesday, the food was brought over to the Interfaith Center.
Tomorrow it will all be in our school food pantry.
LOVE students helping fellow students.
FYI: Julia will achieve her 4-year degree in only 3 years.
CONGRATS Julia, HOOT HOOT!
Tom Convery
Common Goods Food Pantry Coordinator

Photos from Common Goods at Westfield State's post

11/14/2023

Hats and Gloves are in at the Common Goods Food Pantry!
Just in time for the cold weather.

10/30/2023

The Westfield State Common Good Food Pantry has been selected by the Store Leadership Team at Stop & Shop to benefit from the Bloomin' 4 Good Program.
Our organization will receive $1 from every specially marked $10.99 Bloomin' 4 Good bouquet sold during
the month of November 2023 at:
Stop & Shop, 57 Main Street, Westfield MA
Thank you for your support.
Tom

08/25/2023

THANK YOU to Marlee Berg-Haryasz and the other MASCAC SAAC Athletic leaders for the great donation to our Westfield State Common Goods Food Pantry. HOOT HOOT!

Claim ownership or report listing

Want your school to be the top-listed School/college in Westfield?

Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.

Location

Westfield

Contact the school

Click here to send a message to the school

Website

http://westfield.ma.edu/commongoods

Address

Second Congregational Church, 487 Western Avenue
Westfield, MA
01085

Opening Hours

1pm - 4pm