Supporting Emergency Mutual Aid Food Distribution

Sounds of laughter and swishing paint brushes filled the air along with the smells of hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies at Comfort and Canvas, a Casa fundraiser held on Sunday, January 18, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Milford. More than two dozen attendees of various ages and artistic skill levels painted winter mountain scenes under the gentle guidance of a trained studio artist, raising $1,000 in support of Casa’s Emergency Mutual Aid food distribution program.

​Just one day before, the same church hall was filled with the sounds of children at play, light music, and volunteers filling over 200 reusable shopping bags with fresh vegetables and dry goods. Dozens of immigrant families gathered at St. Mary Church to pick up their mutual aid food bags, while other families, unable to come in person, were able to have their bags brought to them by a network of generous volunteer drivers.

Intensive immigration enforcement has led to widespread food insecurity for immigrant families throughout the Metrowest area. Wage-earners are picked up by ICE and held in detention, depriving their families of financial resources, and leaving other families too scared to go to work or even to their local grocery store to buy food.

Casa is seeking to support these neighbors in need, holding mutual aid food distributions every Saturday, alternating weekly between Milford and Framingham. Each distribution costs approximately $3,500 - even with food being purchased in bulk at wholesale prices and then repackaged into smaller portions when the food bags are prepared.

This highlights the need for fundraisers like Comfort and Canvas as well as donations to the Casa Emergency Mutual Aid Fund. Thank you to all those who came out on Sunday, the many hands who helped organize the wonderful event, and everyone who has donated in support of this vital effort.