麻州約有229個農夫市場 年營業額逾億 全美排第五

State and Local Officials Celebrate Massachusetts Farmers Market Week

BOSTON – In celebration of Governor Charlie Baker’s declaration of August 4-10, 2019 as “Massachusetts Farmers Market Week,” Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux, local officials, and representatives from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and theMassachusetts Farmers Markets Association today toured farmers markets in Eastern and Central Massachusetts. The tour included stops at the Copley Farmers Market in Boston, Lexington Farmers Market in Lexington, and the Hudson Farmers Market in Hudson.

Left to Right: Melissa Pullin (DTA Chief of Staff), Catalina Lopez-Ospina (Director, Mayor's Office of Food Access, Boston), Nicola Williams (Board Member, Sustainable Business Network of MA), MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux, Edith Murnane (Executive Director, Mass Farmers Markets Association)

“Farmers markets not only provide direct marketing access to farmers, they are also a catalyst to creating healthier communities by providing access to fresh, healthy foods to Massachusetts residents, including SNAP and WIC Program participants and seniors,” said Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner Lebeaux. “The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to support the Commonwealth’s many farmers markets, and we encourage all residents to visit their local farmers market and purchase fresh Massachusetts-grown products.”

There are approximately 229 summer and fall farmers’ markets and another 53 winter farmers’ markets in communities across the Commonwealth. Universal access to these healthy options is made possible through partnerships and programs such as SNAP, HIP and the WIC and Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Programs. Massachusetts ranks fifth in the nation for direct market sales with over $100 million annually, which accounts for 21.1% of the state’s total sales of agricultural products— the highest proportion in the country.

A complete listing of farmers markets throughout Massachusetts can be found on theMassgrown & Fresher website.

波士頓三醫院斥資3年300萬元 改善不健康源於居不安的社會問題

（Boston Orange編譯）波士頓醫療中心(Boston Medical Center)，波士頓兒童醫院(Boston Children)和布里吉罕及婦女醫院(Brigham and Women’s Hospital)這三家醫院計在3年間分發300萬元給社區組織，資助房屋計畫，改善貧苦人家身體健康。

波士頓環球報(Boston Globe)在8月7日的報導中指出，這三家醫院正在各自所屬院區內大規模施工蓋樓，依照市政府批准其建築計畫的條件之一，他們必須捐款給社區機構，結果這三家醫院都決定聚焦住宅。。

由於三家醫院高層人員都認為居所穩定和健康良好之間關係密切，住宅，教育和食物對個人的健康及醫療開銷都有重大影響，因此第一個150萬元將以掙扎求存，無穩定居所者，以及因欠租面對逼遷危險者為優先濟助對象。

這三家醫院的不尋常合作，始於波士頓醫療中心。該中心是安全網醫院之一，大約有10%的病人是流浪漢或居住環境不穩定，2017年時承諾在住宅項目上5年斥資650萬元。波士頓兒童醫院和布里吉罕婦女醫院後來加入行列，推出一項新的創新穩定住宅計畫(Innovative Stable Housing Initiative)。他們希望這努力最終會擴展到包括其他醫院。

根據市府人員可提供的最近年份資料，波士頓住宅法庭在2016年內就有4600多宗申請逼遷案，大多數涉案租戶，都住在有補助住宅內。

麻州醫療補助(Medicaid)項目為低收入家庭提供醫療保險，也推動醫療提供者處理包括住宅等社會及經濟問題，以防範病人出現嚴重及昂貴醫療問題。

三家醫院合作的創新穩定住宅計畫(Innovative Stable Housing Initiative)，目前資助的社區組織包括”由家開始(HomeStart)”， 城市生活(City Life/Vida Urbana)，Casa Myrna等。

這些組織計畫用醫院補助，一部分支付通常其他資助不補助，但和住宅相關的開銷，例如找新公寓的經紀費，搬到新家的租卡車費用等。

他們指出，來自該項目的補助款，約可分別幫助到75戶，85戶不等的人家，大約每1500元就能幫助一個家庭免於被逼遷。

”由家開始(HomeStart)”是得到醫院補助的第一批社區組織之一。該機構董事長Matt Pritchard表示，穩定住宅是決定健康的主要社會因素，這些醫院在做絕佳聲明。

紐英崙中華公所七月份董事大會(圖片)