Second Annual Community Food Drive on MLK Day To Honor King’s Legacy and Benefit the Amherst Survival Center

Source: Office of State Representative Mindy Domb

The Second Annual Light and Love Amherst Community Food Drive, organized by State Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst), will be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 19, 2026, to benefit the Amherst Survival Center. The food drive is inspired by Dr. King’s words: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

The food drive will collect food donations at the Amherst Survival Center, in a drive-by fashion, on Monday, January 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Amherst Survival Center is located at 138 Sunderland Road (across from Cowls Building Supply) in North Amherst.

This year, Representative Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) and State Senator Jake Oliviera (D-Ludlow) will join the effort by co-hosting a donation site in Belchertown on Sunday, January 18 from 10am-2pm at the Belchertown Town Hall parking lot. Belchertown residents and others are welcome to drop off their donations on Sunday and the community’s contributions will be brought to the Amherst Survival Center the next day via a truck donated by Window World for collecting and delivering the food donations.

“On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are reminded that service to others is at the heart of building strong and caring communities. The Amherst Survival Center is deeply grateful to Rep. Domb, Rep. Saunders, Senator Oliveira, and to the many volunteers and donors whose generosity strengthens our community and supports our neighbors. Together, this collective effort reflects Dr. King’s vision of compassion, dignity, and shared responsibility,” said Carleen Basler, Interim Executive Director of the Amherst Survival Center.

“I can’t think of a better way to honor Dr. King and start the new year than for us to come together as a community to care for one another and manifest his words into joyful and meaningful action,” said State Representative Mindy Domb (D-Amherst). “Last year our community collected 3,749 pounds of food through the MLK Food Drive. It would great to match that this year, given growing food insecurity in our region, decreased federal support, and the additional food pantry on the UMass campus.”

“We are again calling on the generosity of our communities to step up for our neighbors in need. This week our special efforts to combat hunger are done in the spirit of Dr. King’s call to service,” stated State Representative Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown).

“The best way to honor MLK’s legacy is to follow in his footsteps and help those in need,” stated State Senator Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow).

The Amherst Survival Center food pantry at this time is most in need of the following items: peanut butter, pasta and pasta sauce, cereal, canned soup, and oatmeal. The food pantry also makes personal care items available including diapers and menstrual products. In addition, the pantry can use clean, untorn paper bags for packing items for delivery and for participants’ use.

Learn more about how you can participate in the Food Drive here: https://repmindydomb.com/mlk2026-food-drive/.

Donations from the food drive will stock the shelves of the Amherst Survival Center food pantry program which distributes free monthly groceries to residents of 13 towns in the area, including: Amherst, Belchertown, Deerfield, Granby, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, South Deerfield, South Hadley, Sunderland, Ware, Whately, and to those who are experiencing homelessness. Monthly groceries include fresh fruits and vegetables, prepared food, canned goods, dairy, milk, and meat. In addition, this fall the Amherst Survival Center opened a food pantry on the UMass campus (see also here). 

Learn more about the food pantry here: https://amherstsurvival.org/pantry/.