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Welcome Message from A Place To Turn Executive Director, Rebecca Gallo

As the new Executive Director of A Place To Turn, I cannot express how happy I am to be here. I am honored to take over this role and to be working with a talented and passionate staff and group of volunteers to continue serving those in need over the summer months. I look forward to collaborating with our highly valued donors- individuals, corporations and foundations- as we continue our mission to provide healthy food choices, diapers, and personal care items to MetroWest residents.

Recently, we have been seeing an increase in need for our Pantry services, in part, due to children being out of school without access to school-based, government -supported breakfast and lunch programs. With A Place To Turn’s Healthy Families program, we are providing additional healthy food to families this summer, including extra breakfast, lunch and snack items to offset the loss of these daytime meals.  

As always, we are committed to serving those who come to us with dignity, equity and empathy. We welcome financial and food donations and invite volunteers to join us as we continue to serve hungry families in our community. 

We are deeply appreciative for your ongoing support of our mission.  Together we can make sure nobody in our community goes hungry.

I look forward to meeting you in the coming months.  Please reach out to me with any questions or to introduce yourself.  I can be reached at rebecca@aplacetoturn-natick.org

Farewell Message from A Place To Turn Executive Director, Joanne Barry

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve my MetroWest neighbors as Executive Director of A Place To Turn for the past 20 years. It has been an incredible experience working with such an amazing group of staff, volunteers and donors to further APTT’s mission, as well as collaborating with other leaders and organizations to fight food insecurity and inequity. APTT is and will continue to be an organization steadfastly committed to addressing hunger by serving with dignity, equity and empathy. 

It is with heartfelt thanks to all, that I depart the position of Executive Director and pass the leadership role of A Place To Turn to our highly qualified new Executive Director, Rebecca Gallo. Formerly Senior Program Officer at the MetroWest Health Foundation, Rebecca has been focused over the two decades in engaging community partners to understand the systemic needs impacting community health with a meaningful focus on food security. Rebecca will bring a fresh approach to A Place To Turn while remaining deeply committed to our mission. 

Rebecca and I, along with the rest of the staff, will work together to provide a seamless transition for our clients and donors in the coming weeks. Please accept our profound thanks for your ongoing support of A Place To Turn. 

Our building project is finally complete!  Thanks to the many donors and supporters of our capital campaign, A Place To Turn has reopened the doors for indoor shopping.  Going back to choice enables APTT to fulfill our mission of providing food, diapers and personal care in an atmosphere of caring and mutual respect.

The new shopping space is light and bright with a full farmer’s market display of seasonal produce.  Partnerships with local farms, rescue organizations and even local neighbors who are sharing their fresh bounty help to keep the market display stocked for clients to choose from.  Staff and volunteers are busy reacclimating clients to APTT’s choice shopping experience and focused on providing a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

The number of visits to APTT remains at elevated levels and we are working hard to maintain the desired inventory assortment for client selections.  Community support is vital in keeping our shelves stocked and for important programs such as The Diaper Project which provides diapers and wipes, Donate. which provides feminine care products and Healthy Families which provides additional breakfast and lunch items to families with school aged children.

Service hours are Monday and Wednesday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 12:30pm.  In an effort to reduce barriers for assistance, clients only need to provide proof of residency in one of the 20 communities we serve.

APTT appreciates and relies on the continued support of the MetroWest community.  Without your help, providing the fresh produce, meats, dairy products and dry goods that clients need to keep themselves and their families healthy would be even more challenging.  APTT has been helping for over 40 years and we thank you for joining us in fulfilling our mission!

If you would like to make NON EXPIRED product donations, please check our donation request list for items that are currently most needed.  We strongly encourage drop offs on Monday from 8:30am to 2:00pm. This is when the greatest number of staff/volunteers are available to process donations.   Kindly follow the side ramp to the rear door and ring the doorbell where we will greet you and provide any help carrying if needed.  Monetary donations are also appreciated and/or you might consider a recurring donation which enables us to better manage our support for families throughout the year.  Please click on the Donation Online button below or mail directly to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford St
Natick  MA 01760

Follow us on Instagram, @aptt_natick for the latest updates.  Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions.  Many, many thanks from the APTT team!

Welcome spring and welcome to our many donors and clients!


We are delighted to report that the addition we are building at A Place To Turn (APTT) is well underway. While we are still several months from completing the addition and renovations to our current building, we are incredibly optimistic about what it will mean to our clients once the structure is in place.

At A Place To Turn, we take to heart the importance of serving our clients in an environment of dignity and respect. When the pandemic began, we had to move our food distribution service outdoors using a farmers market model to serve the high volume of people who needed our assistance. When our construction work is complete, hopefully by early summer, we will have the space we need to be able to welcome our clients back inside the building! We pride ourselves on being a food pantry that provides the food choices our clients and their families prefer and this new space will make it easier to do just that!

The number of MetroWest individuals visiting APTT has increased significantly since last summer and we are relying on community support more than ever to help us provide fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, proteins, diapers, personal care items and basic household staples. Three important programs that we offer include The Diaper Project, which includes diapers and wipes to families with infants, Donate., which provides feminine care products, and Healthy Families, which provides additional items for breakfast and lunch for school aged children.  Eat Fresh (fresh vegetables and fruits) is a key part of our grocery offerings and will be featured in our building addition as an indoor farmer’s market including many culturally preferred fruits and vegetables. 

A Place To Turn is open for food distribution Monday and Wednesday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 12:30pm. To receive our services, all a client needs to bring is proof of residency from one of the 20 communities we serve. We are trying to make it as easy as possible for people to get the assistance they need.

Please accept a heartfelt thank you from the staff and volunteers at A Place To Turn. We are so greatly appreciative of your ongoing support. For over 40 years, we have been helping families who live in the MetroWest area thanks to you!

You may make monetary or recurring donations at  using the donate button below . Donations may also be mailed to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick, MA 01760

Follow us on Instagram @aptt_natick to keep up with the latest updates.

Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions you may have.  Thank you!

A Place To Turn is building an addition!  With the success of our fall campaign, Building A Healthier Community, we look forward to bringing our clients back inside for the shopping experience that is the hallmark of our mission.  This additional space will enable us to provide a pantry full of healthy choices in a caring, respectful space.  The number of Metrowest individuals visiting APTT has increased significantly over the last several months and we are relying on community support more than ever to provide the fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, proteins and basic staples that are offered.  In addition to groceries, other programs that are offered include the Diaper Project, which offers diapers and wipes to families with infants, Donate.,which enables APTT to offer feminine care products and Healthy Family, which is the addition of items such as breakfast and lunch items for school aged children.  Eat Fresh is a key part of our grocery offerings and will be featured in our building addition as a true farmer’s market featuring many culturally appropriate fruits and vegetables.  In response to the number of Metrowest families seeking our services, Monday 4:30pm to 6:30pm has been added to our distribution schedule which already includes Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am to 12:30pm and Wednesday 4:30pm to 6:30pm. 

Without your support, the assortments and programs offered at APTT would not be possible.  Together, we can provide emergency groceries that are familiar to our Metrowest neighbors in need while staff and volunteers work hard at providing a welcoming and inviting space for assistance.  Our website is updated regularly with items that are most requested and may be dropped off in the APTT van on Monday from 9:30am to 2pm.  Please be sure that food donations are not expired.  Diaper donations are also accepted (and appreciated),especially in sizes 5, 6 and/or pullups in size 4T-5T.  If you are not able to donate product, gift cards are also appreciated, with Market Basket being the most requested.

Monetary donations at https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org are also helpful especially with the rising cost of groceries, as we are faced with higher food expenses, too!  Please consider a recurring donation which will enable us to manage our ongoing support for individuals throughout the year.  Donations may also be mailed to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick, MA 01760

Having the ability to assist Metrowest individuals for more than 40 years has been made possible with the caring community that surrounds us.  Follow us on Instagram @aptt_natick to keep up with the latest updates. Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions you may have.  Thank you!

Spring/Summer 2022

As we emerged from winter and the rhythm of life seemed “normal” to include the constant adjustments needed to deal with the Covid virus, a new set of challenges is now being presented in the form of inflation and the overall rising cost of living.  This is bringing record breaking numbers of visitors to our pantry where we continue to distribute under tents.  Offerings continue to include pre-bagged staples of grains, dairy and proteins as recommended by the USDA My Plate as well as the multitude of produce displayed at our popular farmer’s market from our Eat Fresh program.  Diapers, personal care and household cleaning supplies are also provided.  Staff and volunteers at APTT remain ever more committed to assisting the residents of the 20 Metrowest towns that we serve, however, the goal to return to our mission of providing choice with dignity and respect can not be realized within the original footprint of our building.  We look forward to breaking ground for a new addition this summer that will allow us to invite the individuals we assist back inside to make their own selections of the healthy choices that are part of product assortments as well as the personal care items they may need.  More details to come on our website.  Distribution hours currently remain on Tuesday and Thursday 9:30am to 12:30pm and Wednesday 4:30pm to 6:30pm.

Your support has been unwavering throughout the pandemic and is vital in continuing our mission.  Our van doors remain open for NON-EXPIRED food donations (check our donation request list for the most recent needs) and diapers (sizes 5 and 6) and pull-ups (size 4T-5T) on Monday from 9:30am to 1:30pm.  Gift cards from grocery stores (Market Basket is always appreciated) are also helpful to families.

Monetary donations at https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org are also welcome and help us to ensure we can continue to round out our healthy choices with fresh produce, meats and dairy items.  Perhaps you might consider a recurring donation which enables us to better manage our ongoing support for families throughout the year.  Donations may also be mailed directly to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick  MA 01760

Our work is made possible by your generosity and support.  Follow us on Instagram @aptt_natick to keep up with the latest updates. Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions you may have.  Thank you!

Winter 2021 into 2022

With colder weather upon us, and the pandemic still impacting how we provide clients with the food essentials they desperately need, A Place to Turn will continue to serve our clients outdoors in our farmer’s market area.  We remain committed to our Eat Fresh initiative so the market will display the seasonal fresh vegetable and fruit offerings that families have come to expect from us, which remains true to our original mission.  Fresh produce is supplemented with important pre-bagged staples including grains, dairy and proteins. Diapers, personal care and household cleaning supplies are also provided.  With the continued challenges that Covid presents, distribution will remain outdoors in our tented area on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 12:30pm. For families that require access to the Pantry’s services in the late afternoon or early evening hours, A Place to Turn has recently added outdoor distribution on Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.

As always, the invaluable support that our surrounding community continues to provide enables A Place to Turn to sustain and enhance our services.  The doors to our van are open for NON-EXPIRED food donations, diapers (sizes 5 and 6 are the most requested), and pull-ups in size 4T-5T on Monday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.  Grocery store gift cards are also appreciated.

Naturally, monetary donations are also very welcome and can be made on our website at  https://www.aplacetoturn-natick.org/donate/  Have you considered making a recurring donation?  This type of donation helps us better manage our ongoing support to families in need throughout the year.

Donations may also be mailed directly to the Pantry at the following address.  

A Place to Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick MA 01760

Please show support for A Place to Turn by visiting our social media sites and telling your friends and family about what we do. Follow us on Instagram @aptt_natick to keep up with the latest updates. Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions you may have.  

Many thanks to all for your generous support. We could not do what we do without your help! And please accept our best wishes for good health.

Fall 2021

As we try to enjoy the dwindling days of summer, the fall season will soon begin.  Our farmer’s market display for A Place To Turn’s Eat Fresh initiative will display the colors of the fall harvest.  Offering individuals choices of fresh fruits and vegetables remains true to our original mission.  Fresh produce is supplemented with pre-bagged  staples including grains, dairy and proteins. Diapers, personal care and household cleaning supplies are also provided.  With the continued challenges that Covid presents, distribution will remain outdoors on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 12:30pm. The need for assistance remains in the Metrowest towns we serve and individuals have indicated that afternoon or early evening hours will enable them to better access the assistance A Place To Turn provides.  As a result, we will add outdoor distribution on Wednesday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.

As always, the invaluable support that our surrounding community continues to provide enables A Place To Turn to sustain and enhance our programs.  The doors to our van are open for NON EXPIRED food donations, diapers (sizes 5 and 6 are the most requested), and pull-ups in size 4T-5T on Monday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.  Grocery store gift cards are also appreciated.  Please mail them to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick  MA 01760

Monetary donations are also accepted on our website.  Consider following A Place To Turn on our social media sites. Follow us on Instagram @aptt_natick to keep up with the latest updates. Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions.  Many thanks to all for your generous support and we wish you good health.

Spring 2021

As we leave winter behind us and look forward to spring, A Place To Turn is grateful that it has been able to remain open to serve our Metrowest neighbors throughout the pandemic.  While the need has not lessened, continued support from our generous community has enabled APTT to provide pre-bagged staples as well as fresh fruits and vegetables presented in a “farmer’s market” display.  Despite encouraging signs in the fight against Covid, APTT works to remain a resource for Metrowest individuals and families in need of assistance with food, diapers and personal care items.  Distribution hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

Our mission to be a resource for emergency groceries remains to be a partnership with you and the community.  The APTT van is open on Monday from 10am to 12pm where non expired food and diapers may be placed.  NEW children’s clothing with tags will also be accepted at this time.  Grocery gift cards may also be mailed to:

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick, MA 01760 

Monetary donations are also appreciated via our website.  Updates are posted on our social media platforms–please follow us!  Email info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions.  In the meantime, APTT will continue to work at keeping all safe and healthy and would like to express our deepest gratitude for your caring generosity.

Winter 2020

While we remain ever vigilant in following the recommended protocols for safety during this pandemic, we are pleased that  A Place To Turn has been able to continue providing nutritious, healthy food to our many neighbors in need.  With the generous support of the Metrowest community, APTT has been able to meet the increased demand for assistance during this very challenging time.  As we enter the winter season facing the prediction of rising Covid cases, APTT remains fully committed to providing assistance with groceries, diapers and personal care items to our Metrowest neighbors.  We are open for assistance Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-12:30.

Our partnership with you and the community at large will help us continue to fulfill our mission and put food on the tables of families in need. Non expired food and diapers are accepted on Mondays from 10am to 12pm.  They may be placed in the APTT van parked under the tent.  Only NEW children’s clothing with tags will be accepted at this time. Grocery gift cards may also be mailed to: 

A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick, MA 01760 

Monetary donations are also appreciated via our website.  For updates, please check our social media platforms.  Feel free to email, info@aplacetoturn-natick.org or call 508-655-8868 with any questions.

Summer 2020

Our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. A Place To Turn is still committed to providing food to our neighbors in need, making sure at this difficult time that they receive the nutritious, healthy food. Please know that the Board of Directors and Staff of APTT are working to distribute food in a manner that keeps our community safe.

At this time, we are accepting food and diaper donations on Mondays only, from 10am-12pm. The best way to help at this time is to either mail us grocery gift cards, or to donate online via this website. We will be sending updates on our operational procedures as often as necessary, and thank you as always for your continued support. Please continue to check APTT’s social media platforms to stay informed.

Feel free to contact us below with any questions about how to help.

With great appreciation,

Joanne Barry, Executive Director
A Place To Turn
99 Hartford Street
Natick, MA 01760

Hours of Operation

Food distribution to our clients:

  • Monday, and Wednesday – 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
  • Tuesday and Thursday – 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Donations to our food pantry:

  • Monday – 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Reach Out to Our Team