AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – A food staffing agency partnered with the state to provide meals to those in need.

An organization called Snapchef has partnered with the state to address food insecurity and unemployment. As a result, the Senior Center and Survival Center in Amherst are getting some much-needed help.

Agencies like the Amherst Senior Center and the Amherst Survival Center work toward address food insecurity by providing meals to those in need but when the pandemic hit resources went down.

“Seniors who were volunteer-based had to stop volunteering because it wasn’t safe, they were ordered to stay in [the] shelter,” said a center worker.

But the need for food went way up.

“Our needs have increased sixfold for meals and delivery of services,” said a worker at one of the centers.

To address that need, Snapchef a culinary staffing agency, partnered with the MassHire Dept. of Career Services to give those negatively impacted by the pandemic, a second chance through the Emergency Displaced Worker Grant Program.

“People who were laid off by the virus were able to go back to work through this initiative. Helping them deliver these meals, helping them go into the kitchen, and packaging these meal packages,” said a Snapchef worker.

Snapchef workers have played a huge role in delivering thousands of meals each month at both Amherst sites.

“Our lunch program has expanded by roughly 300 percent and we’re able to get food to people in different ways including a new grocery delivery program. I have to tell you we have been able to effectively and efficiently deliver services every single day Monday through Friday they’ve been a tremendous help because it’s that consistency and reliability,” said a center worker.

These agencies are pushing for a renewal of funding from the state, as of now, this funding would end at the end of this month.