Family Cafes

Family Cafe Schedule
Based on the results of a survey conducted by the Attleboro Area Council of Churches and the experiences of local social service providers it has become apparent that there is a desperate, rising need in this region to serve food-insecure families with children.

Many families in our community go without proper food every day due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, domestic violence, or divorce. Costs such as rent or mortgage, car insurance, prescriptions, and utilities are static and often require payment at the beginning of the month.

To stretch resources, families are often forced to drastically cut back on food expenditures, resulting in skipped meals, poor nutrition and hunger, with the last week of the month often being the most critically affected. Survey findings identified families with children as dramatically underserved due to a variety of factors, including fear of a soup kitchen environment, lack of knowledge of available resources, being unable to attend available kitchens due to the time of day they run, and reluctance to admit need.

This group requires a child-friendly, safe, supportive, more private, nurturing environment, available at a time and day that is feasible for them to attend, to be able to access the emergency food and assistance that they need.

The Attleboro Area Council of Churches Food n’ Friends has created three new kitchens – Family Cafés,  specifically designed to be welcoming to children and accessible to families in need. By using a framework of a family outing, a fun evening with free kids activities, free food and resource assistance, Food n’ Friends Family Cafes create a safe, fun, confidential and supportive atmosphere.  Food n’ Friends Kitchens always provide nutritious, quality, well-balanced meals with vegetables and fresh produce served at every meal. With the understanding that the last week of the month is the most critical for hunger, two of the Family Cafés are on the last Wednesday and Saturday of each month.  The newest Cafe is on the second Wednesday of each month within walking distance of downtown Attleboro.  Access to community and state resources are available at the Food n’ Friends Family Cafés with a resource worker present to aid families in identifying their needs and connecting them to appropriate community and state resources.

This relationship-based, positive assistance will provide help and empowerment on the road back to independence and security, placing another net to help stop the downward spiral into homelessness.