BOSTON — The City of Boston's Employee Assistance Program, part of the city's Human Resources department, published a guide Monday listing food, heating, gift and charity resources in the Boston area, along with holiday events for the 2026 season.

The program said it released the list in November because many assistance programs, including food aid, utility and heating support, and holiday gift and meal programs, require applications, documentation or waiting periods. Starting early gives people the best chance of getting help without added stress, the program said.

For food, the guide points to the Greater Boston Food Bank; a pantry locator run by the city's Office of Food Justice; Fair Foods, which the guide says offers prepared boxes of produce for $2 to families in need at a different site each day; and a regional food resource guide from the nonprofit VitalCNXS.

On heating costs, the guide says Massachusetts has introduced four home energy assistance programs to help offset higher home heating prices, including newly announced support for families at the state's median income. Applications can also be made for insulation and for home and heating-system repairs or replacements, according to the guide.

The list also includes Globe Santa, which provides gifts for children in need; the U.S. Postal Service's Operation Santa, which the guide says is open for donations and applications; the Salvation Army's holiday charity drive; Toys for Tots; and Boston-area homeless shelters including Rosie's Place, the Pine Street Inn and Father Bill's.

For events, the guide links to holiday calendars from several local publications and tourism groups, including a Meet Boston list of Thanksgiving weekend activities such as the SoWa Christmas Market.

This brief was drafted by AI from a public agency or political press release and published by The New England Signal. Why we use AI for stories like this one.