MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES
MILESTONES IN BOSTON’S FOOD ACCESS EFFORTS ONE YEAR AFTER DECLARATION OF PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY
Over 25 million pounds of
food distributed and more than 6.8 million meals served or delivered to youth
and older adults
BOSTON - Monday, March
15, 2021 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor’s Office of Food Access (OFA)
today announced various milestones in food access, including one year since the
emergency food response began. When the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) declared a
public health emergency on March 15, 2020, the City of Boston initiated a response to
ensure every Bostonian had access to essential services, including food. Since
the declaration of the public health emergency, the Office of Food Access,
together with its partners, has distributed 25 million pounds of food; 5.6
million prepared meals across 91 meal sites; 1.2 million meals delivered to
residents’ homes; 207,000 grocery bags; and 123,000 produce and grocery staples
boxes. Since March 15, 2020, the Mayor’s Office of Food Access has invested
$3.8 million into its pandemic-related meal efforts, and the Boston Resiliency
Fund has granted $19.88 million in funding to 255 non-profit partners working
to increase access to food and other basic needs for Boston residents.
The Mayor’s Office of
Food Access emergency food response system included strengthening the network
of food pantries and meal sites throughout the City, delivering food to
residents’ homes, supporting immigrant-serving organizations, and making sure
Boston’s youth had access to the food they usually received at their schools.
“Ensuring access to
nutritious food is a critical piece to our response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
and a key part of Boston’s equitable response to this pandemic,” said Mayor
Walsh. “Since the beginning of the public health emergency, we knew that
reaching all Bostonians in need was vital to ensure everyone’s wellbeing,
especially as we asked individuals to stay home and as more people faced
financial challenges. Thank you to all of our non-profit partners, the Office
of Food Access, the Age Strong Commission and the Boston Public Schools for
your partnership in creating a network of food access for all Bostonians who
need a helping hand. Together, we will continue to care for all of Boston’s
residents.”
“We are very proud of
what we achieved during this year, and we couldn’t have done it without the
help of our partners. Our long-standing partnerships, as well the new
partnerships we created will continue to help us increase food access for our
residents, and contribute to a more equitable Boston,” said Catalina
López-Ospina, Mayor’s Office of Food Access Director. “The Mayor’s Office of
Food Access values the trust Boston residents placed in our team when reaching
out to ask for help. We are aware that making a call or writing us an email is
hard, but we are here to take care of you and your family during these
challenging times.”
SUPPORT FOR YOUTH AND OLDER ADULTS
Since March of 2020, the
Office of Food Access, together with Boston Public Schools and the YMCA of
Greater Boston distributed more than 5.6 million meals across 91 meal sites
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to youth and older adults. Additionally,
Boston Public Schools (BPS) provided over 40,000 bags of free groceries at meal
sites and delivered more than 1.2 million meals directly to families of
students who regularly received door-to-door transportation.
"Just one year ago
we closed our school doors and immediately rallied with our City partners to
ensure our children and families did not miss a meal. At BPS, we are incredibly
proud to be part of a citywide team that came together for our children and
families so that they had one less thing to worry about. Food security is near
and dear to my heart and I know personally the impact these critical partnerships
have on families,” said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. “I am very
thankful to Mayor Walsh and the Mayor’s Office of Food Access for their
commitment to providing meals for our students and families, and I am so proud
of BPS Food and Nutrition Services, and every team member, colleague and
volunteer who made it possible for our students and families to conveniently
access over 4.5 million free healthy meals throughout this challenging
year.”
“I have been out of work
and my grandsons live with me. We pick up lunches from the school site every
day but when the weekend comes we need additional food,” said a Boston
resident. “The bags of groceries that you deliver are a godsend for us. I am so
grateful for the fresh produce, the meats, the milk and eggs. They keep the
kids happy and lessen the stress I am feeling. Thank you so much.”
The City of Boston’s Age
Strong Commission worked with the Office of Food Access to ensure older adults
had access to meals during the state’s “Safer At Home” Advisory. Between adult meal sites and the Meals on Wheels
program, more than 2.5 million meals were distributed to Boston’s older adults.
Boston’s Meals on Wheels partners include Ethos, Greater Boston Chinese Golden
Age Center, Central Boston Elder Services, Boston Senior Home Care, Emily’s,
City Fresh, 2 Life Communities, Hebrew Senior Life, and EMPath (Economic
Mobility Pathways). Additionally, with support from the City of Boston, FEMA,
and the Boston Resiliency Fund, About Fresh delivered 123,697 produce and
grocery staples boxes, and the YMCA of Greater Boston delivered 207,413 grocery
bags to older adults and youth homes.
“The partnership the
YMCA of Greater Boston shares with the City of Boston and the Boston Public
Schools is incredible and has flourished during the past year. Together, we
have delivered food to our most vulnerable children, families and seniors. It
is a blessing to unite our organizational skills, infrastructures and ‘people
power’ in the spirit of serving others,” said James O’S. Morton, Esq.,
President/CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. “We thank the City of Boston for
allowing the YMCA of Greater Boston to participate in this important
partnership, as we are universally committed to mitigating hunger for all
Bostonians during this crisis and beyond.”
SUPPORT FOR GENERAL
PUBLIC
Since the beginning of
the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Food Access also expanded other programs
and initiatives to better serve the community in need. For Boston residents
that cannot access federal benefits, Mayor Walsh announced in September that the Offices of Food Access and Immigrant
Advancement partnered with Fair Foods to provide more than 1.5 million pounds
of fresh bread, fruits, and vegetables for more than 5,300 Bostonian families.
This was done in part through grant funding from the Boston Resiliency Fund.
With the funding, Fair Foods expanded to 50 sites across the City of Boston. Fair
Foods, through their network of non-profit partners, increased food access for
immigrant communities, including those who do not qualify for state or federal
assistance in the City of Boston.
MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES
MILESTONES IN BOSTON’S FOOD ACCESS EFFORTS ONE YEAR AFTER DECLARATION OF PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY
Over 25 million pounds of
food distributed and more than 6.8 million meals served or delivered to youth
and older adults
Additionally, the City’s
Double Up Food Bucks program, which expanded in September, provided SNAP beneficiaries over $60,000
to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. To support local Boston farmers, the Office
of Food Access, with financial support from the Boston Resiliency Fund and the
collaboration of Mass Farmers Market, distributed $91,000 in coupons to 21
farmers’ markets during the summer. This assistance has been extended into the
winter season, with five winter farmers' markets receiving a total of $25,000
to distribute in coupons to improve affordability and access, and to
incentivize residents to purchase local produce.
“I have been having a
very hard time financially: this pandemic has not been easy and I’m unemployed.
Not having the extra stress of putting food on the table is amazing,” said a
Boston resident. “Thank you all for the help you give to families-- a little
goes a long way and it’s highly appreciated.”
At the beginning of the
public health emergency, the City experienced a rapid increase in demand for
food at all food pantries. In response, the Office of Food Access partnered
with the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) to ensure food pantries were supplied
and the changing needs were met. The Greater Boston Food Bank delivered 25
million pounds of food to partners in the City of Boston, the equivalent of
over 21 million meals.
“Our partnership with
the City of Boston, and the more than 100 non-profit agencies in the city, has
been critical in responding to the surge in food insecurity brought on by the
COVID-19 pandemic,” said Catherine D’Amato, President and CEO, The Greater
Boston Food Bank. “Now one year into this crisis, we reflect on the resiliency
of Boston. The support from the City through funding, strategy and partnership
has been instrumental in enabling GBFB to double its operations and distribute
healthy and nutritious food to those in need in every corner of the city.”
For more information about food resources
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, visit here
