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BOSTON
- Thursday, September 17, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor's
Offices of Food Access and Immigrant Advancement today announced the latest
efforts to expand food access for immigrant communities in the City of
Boston. Using grant funding provided by the Boston Resiliency Fund, Fair
Foods will provide produce to partner immigrant nonprofit organizations
that are working to increase access to fresh, affordable food for
individuals, including those who do not qualify for state or federal
assistance in the City of Boston.
"Food
is a basic need, and it's especially important to have healthy food
available and affordable during a health crisis," said Mayor Walsh.
"I'm proud that the Boston Resiliency Fund will be used to bring
nutritious food to more families, and I want to thank our partner
organizations for their collaboration in addressing this inequity."
Fair
Foods will use the funding from the Boston Resiliency Fund to increase the
availability of food access for anyone in two ways. For 11 of their
nonprofit partners, Fair Foods will supply fresh produce to distribute to
any individual in need at no cost. The Boston Resiliency Fund grant will
also allow Fair Foods to empower seven of their nonprofit partners with
vouchers to distribute to individuals. Each voucher has the purchasing
power of two bags of fresh produce. Without a voucher, one bag of fresh
produce can be purchased for $2, valued originally at $15 to $20. Vouchers
can be used at Fair Foods locations throughout the City of Boston.
Locations of all meal sites can be found here.
This
collaboration is guided by the needs and approach expressed by the City of
Boston's partner immigrant nonprofit organizations directly serving these
communities. Organizations are located throughout the City of Boston and
reflect the diversity of Boston's immigrant communities.
"This
funding will enable thousands of our Bostonian families to have dignity at
dinner, good health and to have the security that we as a City care for
their wellness," said Nancy Jamison of Fair Foods. "The team at
the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Food Access, Fair Foods and our food
donors will continue to fight poverty and hunger throughout Boston with
added services funded by the Boston Resiliency Fund."
"As
an East Boston community based organization Maverick Landing Community
Services (MLCS) is delighted to have played a role in supporting the
continued expansion of Fair Foods into East Boston and to be operating as
their distributor on this side of the tunnel," said Rita Lara of
Maverick Landing Community Services. "Avoiding wasted food and
redirecting surplus to communities with food insecurity really makes sense.
It is good for people, and it is good for our environment. Fair Foods is
the first and oldest food rescue organization in Boston and we are proud to
partner with them."
Since
the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Walsh has been committed to
ensuring food access for all residents. Since Boston Public Schools closed
in March, over three million free meals have been distributed at sites
around the City, including locations at Boston Public Schools, the Boston
Centers for Youth and Families, the Boston Housing Authority, the YMCA and
community organizations. Additionally, Boston Public Schools continues to
provide meal delivery to students who regularly receive door-to-door
transportation.
The
Boston Resiliency Fund (BRF) has granted over $15 million to organizations
devoted to helping Bostonians with access to food and other basic needs
like hygiene products, cleaning supplies and diapers. The BRF's $2 million
of contributions to the Greater
Boston Food Bank have supported the distribution of enough food for 1.2
million meals, with a portion of that funding helping to establish a City
program that has delivered over 375,000 pounds of food to public housing
and senior households. Other organizations that have received Boston
Resiliency Fund grants that support food access this summer and fall
include:
- Funding for Mass Farmers Market provides
access to farm fresh local fruit and vegetables for families, seniors,
and individuals this farmers market season. The program provides
weekly coupons to those in need regardless of immigration status,
while supporting the local economy and urban agriculture. A map of
farmers markets in the City, days and hours of operation, and
available payment methods can be found online.
- Funding for Fresh Truck expands
their Fresh Air Market sites to more than 15 Boston sites in Hyde
Park, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, Charlestown, and other
neighborhoods around the city. Fresh Air Markets are also an eligible
vendor for the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). Fresh Truck has
delivered almost 28,000 fresh produce boxes.
- Funding for Project Bread develops
and implements a public awareness campaign to promote Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment and utilization,
targeting SNAP gap households and other eligible but unenrolled
families. These funds will provide operational and additional language
support to the FoodSource Hotline to meet the increased demand on SNAP
applications and train community-based organizations and health
centers to screen for SNAP eligibility and support with
applications
Since
its creation in March, the Boston Resiliency Fund has distributed over
$26.3 million to 348 nonprofit and local organizations. Of grantees, 55
percent are led by a person of color, 58 percent are led by women, and 27
percent are immigrant-serving organizations. A map and a list of every
organization that has received funding from the Boston Resiliency Fund can
be found here. |
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