Milton resident Andrea Concannon inducted into Interfaith Social Services Hall of Fame

Interfaith Social Services recently inducted 29 South Shore residents into their Matti Lang Hall of Fame. The volunteers were honored at a Volunteer Appreciation Night at the Quincy Masonic Building on June 13. Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation was also honored at the event for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism and named Interfaith’s Community Partner of the Year.

Interfaith Social Services operates one of Greater Boston’s largest emergency food pantries, a mental health counseling center and homelessness prevention program. Since 1947, Interfaith Social Services has been a safety net for thousands of children and families from the South Shore who are struggling to make ends meet.

A volunteer force of more than 130 community residents helps support Interfaith’s programs. Volunteers serve in a range of capacities, including serving on the Board of Directors, taking on weekly food pantry and Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop shifts, and assisting at Interfaith’s annual Stop the Stigma 5K and Feed the Hungry Gala fundraising events.

“This past year, volunteers sorted through 10,000 bags of clothes for our Thrift Shop, distributed nearly 100,000 bags of groceries, re-stocked our pantry with more than 1 million pounds of food, and helped raise $550,000 at our Gala and 5K events,” said Paula Daniels, Interfaith’s Director of Development and Volunteer Coordinator. “They are truly our saving grace, allowing us to serve all who come to us asking for help.”

Attendees at the Appreciation Night were treated to a barbecue dinner from Black’s Creek BBQ and dessert from Kate’s Confections. During the event, 29 volunteers were inducted into the Matti Lang Hall of Fame, which recognizes those who have served at Interfaith regularly for at least one year. The Hall of Fame is named after one of Interfaith’s most dedicated volunteers, Matti Lang, who gave decades of his life selflessly serving Interfaith’s clients.

This year’s honorees include: Braintree residents Wave Bascombe, Jim Sullivan and Anna Wilson; Hingham resident Laura Sorgi; Milton resident Andrea Concannon; Quincy residents Anne Acton, Donna Bulka, Christine Chaudhary, Paula Cole, Elaine Enos, Brendan Gavaghan, Susan Gavaghan, Marilyn Hayes, Andrea King, Terrence Manning, Kate O’dell-Goldie, Jacob Perlmuter, Martha Regan, Michael Riley, Lillian Rogers, Katherine Rondinelli, Mallory Sain, Marsha Sherman and Lucy Smith; Scituate resident Nancy Brokamp; South Boston resident Clifton Sullivan; Stoughton resident Jean Kelliher; and Weymouth residents Sylvie Abbott and Elizabeth Finkenstaedt.

In addition to the Hall of Fame induction, Interfaith also honored their 2024 Community Partner of the Year, Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. This award honors businesses or organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to volunteerism.

Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation has been a strong community partner of Interfaith’s since 2019. With a mission of providing simple joys to children battling hunger, the foundation gives more than $9 million annually to organizations around the country. The Foundation provided much needed grant money to Interfaith through the COVID pandemic and beyond, allowing Interfaith to purchase fresh produce for the food pantry and provide joy to the children they serve through the purchase of Halloween costumes, school supplies, holiday gifts and more.

Dunkin’ volunteers have also donated more than 130 volunteer hours to Interfaith over the past 5 years. Several of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation’s employees attended the volunteer appreciation event and accepted the award on its behalf.

“Support from Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation has helped our food pantry cope with significant demands for our services,” said Daniels. “In 2019 when the Foundation started supporting us, we were distributing 56,000 bags of groceries to local families in need. This past year, we distributed 96,000 bags of groceries and hygiene supplies. Their amazing contributions over the years have meant so much to us and their positive impact is immeasurable.”