For nearly 700 households that rely on the Family Pantry of Cape Cod each week, one item has emerged as a clear favorite: haddock chowder made with help from local fishermen. The popular meal also shows how a local partnership can stretch food budgets while getting a highly sought-after source of protein to families who need it most.
Here's what to know
According to the Cape Cod Times, the most sought-after item at the Harwich-based Family Pantry of Cape Cod is frozen haddock chowder provided by the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance.
Instead of operating like a standard food pickup site, the pantry allows clients to choose from a weekly printed list, similar to shopping at a small grocery. That list can include proteins as well as canned goods, cereal, pasta, eggs, and dairy items.
The alliance also provides clam chowder and fish stew, giving pantry clients more prepared seafood options to take home.
More background
The program that supplies the chowder began during the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. More people needed pantry staples, and commercial fishermen were also losing important places to sell their catch.
The setup gave the pantry ready-made seafood meals that many clients were happy to receive, while creating another path for local fishermen to get their products into Cape Cod homes.
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The Cape Cod Times also reported that the soups are sold to the public at certain stores and at the alliance headquarters in Chatham.
What's being done?
The partnership continues to strengthen the pantry's protein offerings for families. According to the Cape Cod Times, clients can often get fish along with ground beef, chicken, and pork, though the selection can change depending on supplies from the Greater Boston Food Bank.
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Gary Isgur, who led the Cape Cod Times' visit to the pantry, described the organization's view of the alliance this way: "The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance is a fabulous partner. They provide the most popular item we have - haddock chowder. It's another protein we can offer."
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