Waltham offers plentiful resources for neighbors in need

One of Waltham’s strengths — often unseen — is the extraordinary breadth of help the community provides to neighbors in need.

Today, many Waltham residents feel the strain of rising costs or face personal challenges from illness, aging or being new in town. 

From food pantries and community meals to social services, clothing closets, emergency shelter, addiction self-help groups, affordable housing assistance and household goods, a network of local organizations, congregations and volunteers works year-round to support the community.

The Waltham Times publishes this guide as a regular feature and updates it as programs, hours and eligibility requirements change. Our goal is to make it easier for residents — and the friends, family members and caseworkers helping them — to find the right resource quickly, without piecing information together from a dozen places.

We know this list is not complete. If you run a program, volunteer with one or simply know of a service we’ve missed, please tell us. Send additions, corrections and updates to info@walthamtimes.org, and we’ll include them in the next edition. Community knowledge is what makes a guide like this useful, and we’re grateful for yours.

Food pantries and assistance

Healthy Waltham food pantries,101 School St. parking lot; second and fourth Thursday of the month; online schedule; appointments, 1:30  4:15 p.m.; walk-ins, 4:30–5 p.m.; online registration and appointments; on-street parking or in municipal lots.

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, 33 Myrtle St., Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,  10 a.m.– noon. Application, ID and proof of residency required; clients can go only once a month and should bring their own bags.

Food Pantry (Middlesex Human Services Agency), Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main St., Wednesday, 9 a.m.–noon.

Monthly Mobile Market (Middlesex Human Services Agency), 50 Prospect St., side parking lot; third Saturday of the month, 11:30 a.m–12:30 p.m.

Grandma’s Pantry, Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main St.; Waltham residents, 60 and older; second and fourth Saturday, 9–11 a.m.; proof of age and residency required for first visit; not handicapped-accessible.

Family Table (Jewish Family & Children’s Service) monthly food distribution; application required, online or 781-693-5593. 

Center Street Food Pantry, 11 Homer St., Newton; every Tuesday and third Saturday; see website for hours; proof of residency required (Waltham residents are eligible); 617-340-9554.

Meals on Wheels; delivery of two meals Monday to Friday. for homebound adults ages 60 and over; fee charged; 781-314-3300.

Waltham Farmers Market, 65 Lexington St., weekly matching benefit ($15) to EBT and Summer-EBT cardholders; some vendors accept SNAP Healthy Incentives Program; Saturday, June–October, 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Mobile Outreach Market, First Parish, 50 Church St.; from Waltham Fields Community Farm, Tuesday, June–October, 4:30–6 p.m.; $5. 

Waltham Fields Community Farm, 240 Beaver St.; seasonal subsidized community-supported agriculture (CSA) shares, VegRX program (clinicians’ “prescription” required).

Seasonal free farmer’s market from Food Not Bombs, Waltham Common near train station; June–October, Saturday 2:45–3:15 p.m.

Waltham YMCA community pantry, 725 Lexington St.; accessible whenever the Waltham YMCA  is open.

The Salvation Army community pantry, 33 Myrtle St; 24/7 access to nonperishable food and essentials to anyone in need.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously known as food stamps; WATCH CDC has a useful guide. For free help applying for benefits, visit Project Bread’s Getting SNAP.

Food assistance resources list from Waltham Farmers Market.

Meal sites

Chaplains on the Way, First Parish, 50 Church St., breakfast 7:30–10:30 a.m. through November 12, Tuesday–Thursday.; Nov. 16–mid-April 2027, Monday.–Friday.

Hope Kitchen, The Salvation Army, 33 Myrtle St., breakfast and lunch to go, Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. –noon.

Springwell at Clark Apartments, 48 Pine St.; lunch Monday–Friday, 9–11:30 a.m.; register two business days in advance by calling 781-398-0150; donations requested.

Community Day Center of Waltham drop-in center for homeless individuals, 16 Felton St., lunch or snack, Monday–Friday, 12:30–4 p.m.

Food Not Bombs, Waltham Common, midday meal, April–November; Sunday, 2–4 p.m.

Food Not Bombs, intersection of Middlesex Rd. and Garden Circle, meals 6–7 p.m.

Bristol Lodge Soup Kitchen (Middlesex Human Services Agency), Christ Church Episcopal, 750 Main St., Monday–Friday, 4:30–5:30 p.m. 

Housing and emergency support

Massachusetts Emergency Assistance (Family Shelter) for adults with minor children, 866-584-0653.

City of Waltham’s affordable housing resources,  heating assistance list and information on rodent control.

WATCH CDC housing clinic, Waltham residents only, 781-512-8050. 

WATCH CDC’s list of rental assistance programs.

WATCH CDC Community Resource Guide for Fuel Assistance, a comprehensive list of supports.

Bristol Lodge shelters for adults; must call first, 781-893-0108 (Monday–Friday); men’s shelter, 27 Lexington St.; women’s shelter, 205 Bacon St.; bristollodge@MHSAinc.org.

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), Massachusetts’ short-term emergency funding to help with eviction, foreclosure, loss of utilities and other housing costs.

The Salvation Army’s short-term Good Neighbor Energy Fund for Massachusetts residents  ineligible for other assistance and grant-based utility assistance, 781- 894-0413.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service’s financial assistance program, for housing costs including rent, fuel and utilities.

Services for seniors

Waltham’s Council on Aging, William F. Stanley Senior Center, 488 Main St., 781-314-3499; for calendar, click on “newsletter”; resource list covering food, transportation, volunteer handyman, phone reassurance, income tax preparation, Medicare enrollment assistance and other programs.

Meals on Wheels, delivery of two meals Monday–Friday for homebound adults ages 60 and over; a fee is charged; 781-314-3300.

Waltham Connections for Healthy Aging, enrichment programs including digital literacy, Latino and Ugandan outreach, and intergenerational programs.

Springwell, an independent nonprofit agency providing comprehensive services to older adults, individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.

Services for homeless neighbors

Community Day Center of Waltham,16 Felton St.; drop-in services for homeless individuals; case management, substance use support, clothing, seasonal night program and more; Monday–Friday, 12:30–4 p.m.

Seasonal warming center on Sundays, Temple Beth Israel, 25 Harvard St., Nov. 29–April 17, 1–4 p.m.; meal from Food Not Bombs.

Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, advocacy and lists of resources for housing, shelters, benefits and more.

Health and social services

City of Waltham’s Board of Health website, with links to state and federal information about disease and food safety.

City of Waltham’s list of resources for mental health or substance use disorder support.

Charles River Community Health Center, 43 Foundry Ave.; medical, dental and behavioral health; 781-693-3800.

Alcoholics Anonymous, First Parish, 50 Church St.; Wednesday, 7:30–8:30 p.m.

Sobriety on Loop, First Parish, 50 Church St.; Sunday, 6:30–8 p.m.

Nuevo Camino AA Meeting, 100 Felton St.; Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 7–9 p.m.

Charles Webster Potter Place Clubhouse,15 Vernon St.; pre-vocational, vocational and social experiences for adults with a mental health condition.

Agencia Alpha Clinic, Waltham Public Library, 735 Main St., assistance with health insurance questions, enrollment and more, Tues., 11 a.m–1 p.m.

MassHire Career Help for Adults, Waltham Public Library, 735 Main St., Mon., 9 a.m.– noon

REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, emergency shelter, prevention, community engagement; 24/7 hotline, 800-899-4000.

Opportunities for Inclusion, multiple services for individuals with developmental, intellectual or physical disabilities. 

Boston College Legal Services, for low-income individuals; legal assistance from law students and supervising attorneys; accepting new clients September –April.

Clothing, furniture and other goods

Waltham Clothing Exchange, First Parish, 50 Church St.; Tuesday and occasional Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; opening Sep.15; closed seasonally; 781-330-0389.

re/CHIC Curated Thrift, 709 Main St.; Wednesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Freecycle: nonprofit network for receiving (or giving away) free goods.

Global Thrift, 322 Moody St.; Monday- Saturday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; 781-891-5577.

Plato’s Closet, 100 River St., local franchise specializing in buying and selling used teen and young adult clothing, 781-894-0600.

Mission of Deeds Furniture, Reading, Mass.; free beds, furniture and basic household items; need referral from a local agency (e.g., schools, housing agencies, CDC Watch).

Household Goods, Acton, Mass., free used furniture and household items; need referral from a local housing agency such as WATCH CDC.

Boston Building Resources reuse center, 100 Terrace St., Boston; discounted used and overstock home improvement materials; 617-442-2262.