From School Bus to Mobile Market: How Weymouth Takes Food Access on the Road
When the ribbon was cut on the Feed the Wey mobile pantry, the crowd didn’t just see a bus, they saw the future of food access. Brightly painted, fully retrofitted, and designed to roll into any neighborhood, the mobile pantry is a first-of-its-kind solution for Weymouth and a model for towns across Massachusetts.
The celebration marked more than the launch of a vehicle. It marked the beginning of a new way to deliver dignity, choice, and resilience to families across the South Shore. And it was made possible by a community of partners, donors, and neighbors who believe food access should reach people where they are.
“This bus represents what happens when a community refuses to accept barriers. It’s about meeting people where they are and making food access something you don’t have to fight for.”
— Pam Denholm, Executive Director, South Shore Food Bank & Weymouth Food Pantry
Innovation on Four Wheels
The mobile pantry looks unlike any other food program in the region. Built to adapt quickly, it can swap out its shelves depending on who it serves: seniors, families, students, or whole neighborhoods in times of crisis.
It was also designed with practicality in mind. The bus can be operated by just two people, with wide aisles and roll-away shelving that make restocking as easy as rolling out an empty shelf and putting a new one in its place.. In a single morning, it could be loaded with low-sodium staples and ready-to-heat meals geared toward seniors. By afternoon, the same space can be reloaded with kid-friendly snacks, fresh produce, and school supplies for families. This versatility allows the pantry to not only serve multiple locations in one day, but to tailor what it offers to the specific needs of each stop.
“We’ve designed it so we can change out the food quickly—whether it’s for seniors, families, or disaster relief. That flexibility is the future of food access.”
This design is more than convenient, it’s transformative. It allows Weymouth Food Pantry and South Shore Food Bank to reach communities without reliable transportation and to put choice back into the hands of the people it serves.
Built by a Village
The bus is also a story of partnership. Local leaders, nonprofits, and businesses came together to make it a reality. Red’s Truck and Equipment Repair donated their labor and expertise to retrofit the bus from the ground up.
“We wanted to give back in the way we know best. Taking an old bus and turning it into something that feeds people—that’s the kind of work that matters.”
— Red’s Truck and Equipment Repair
At the ribbon cutting, the Town of Weymouth Mayor Robert Hedlund reminded everyone that this was more than just a launch. It showed what can happen when community partners align behind a shared goal.
“This is more than a pantry on wheels. It’s proof that when local business, nonprofits, and government work together, innovation happens—and lives are changed.”
— Mayor Robert Hedlund, Town of Weymouth
Taking Access to the Streets
For many families, the greatest challenge isn’t finding food. It is getting to it. Transportation, stigma, and limited hours can keep people from accessing the help they need. The mobile pantry solves that by going directly to the neighborhoods where help is needed most.
“Mobile food access is critical. We know that transportation is one of the biggest barriers people face, and today Weymouth has given us a model that others can follow.”
— Cheryl Schondek, COO, Greater Boston Food Bank
This is more than just convenience, it reflects a shift in philosophy: food access should meet people where they are.
Ready for Whatever Comes Next
The Feed the Wey mobile pantry also responds to larger challenges. With proposed cuts to FEMA and other safety net programs, mobile units like this could become essential for disaster relief as well as daily food access. Weymouth is not just serving its own residents, it is showing what a resilient food system can look like and how communities can be prepared for unforeseeable emergencies without dependence on external agencies.
South Shore Food Bank has committed to making the design and plans for the bus available to any town that wants to build its own version. By sharing learnings and resources, SSFB hopes to see this model expanded into food deserts across the South Shore and beyond, including nearby Brockton.
Driving Toward the Future
Feed the Wey is more than a ribbon cutting, it’s the unveiling of a bold, practical answer to one of the hardest questions facing food access: how do we reach the people who need us most?
Weymouth has shown what is possible when innovation and compassion meet on four wheels. South Shore Food Bank is ready to share the road ahead.
Because when we meet people where they are, we deliver more than food. We deliver dignity.
If you believe in building innovative, community-driven solutions like this, consider making a gift to support our work. Every donation helps us expand access, share resources, and fuel change across the South Shore.
