Feeding Minds and Bodies in Chelsea 

by Hugo Bravo

In early August, Price Rite Marketplace teamed up with The Salvation Army’s Chelsea Corps and other organizations dedicated to fighting food insecurity for its annual Feeding Minds & Bodies program in Chelsea, Mass.  

Families who registered through the Chelsea Corps or the Boys & Girls Club of Chelsea to participate in Feeding Minds & Bodies received a 25-pound bag of food, a 15-pound box of personal care items and toiletries, and a backpack filled with school supplies. Price Rite Marketplace also donated gift cards for its Price Rite supermarkets. The Chelsea Corps included children’s books in every food box. 

“Price Rite brings their volunteers to work with ours,” said Major Trudy R. Medina, corps officer at Chelsea. “This is a collaboration that comes from a working relationship The Salvation Army has had with Price Rite Marketplace for years.” 

The Chelsea Corps set up tables and stands with information about its programs. Representatives from local health organizations, Chelsea public schools, the Chelsea Fire Department, and health insurance companies also came with information on assistance programs in the community.  

Helping feed a family contributes to both their spiritual and mental well-being, Medina pointed out.  

“On the same day that we did Feeding Minds & Bodies, there was a report that for most Americans, going grocery shopping has become a source of personal stress,” she said. “This event is also food for the mind. It alleviates some of that stress.” 

Every Tuesday and Thursday, the Salvation Army Chelsea Corps in Massachusetts sees lines around the block for its outdoor walk-through food pantry.  

“We’re registering 1,000 families every week for our pantry days,” said Medina. “That’s why we keep working to help the most vulnerable in Chelsea.”