Freetown Select Board Approves Five-Year License for Food Pantry Refrigeration Grant

FREETOWN — July 2, 2026 — Freetown Select Board unanimously approves a five-year license for the town's food pantry to secure a state refrigeration grant. The board voted 3-0 at its July 2 session — the meeting's sole agenda item — to extend a license agreement with the Freetown Regional Food Pantry at 225 Chase Road in East Freetown through June 30, 2031. Town Administrator Deborah Petty explained that the pantry needed the formal multi-year license to qualify for a grant attributed to State Senator Rogers that would fund new cooling and refrigeration equipment; without adequate cold storage, large perishable donations — including a recent broccoli delivery — have been lost because there was nowhere to keep them. Chairman Carlos Lopes said the pantry "is serving hundreds of families per month" and that the town's planned new municipal building in the area does not conflict with the pantry's continued use of the property. A second unanimous vote authorized Petty to sign the documents on behalf of the board so they could be delivered to the pantry immediately.