Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $5.5 Million to Improve Food Security in Massachusetts
BOSTON – Building on efforts to ensure a resilient, secure food supply chain in the Commonwealth, the Baker-Polito Administration today announced over $5.5 million in grants to address urgent food insecurity for Massachusetts residents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding is being awarded as part of the third round of the new $36 million Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program, created following recommendations from the Administration’s COVID-19 Command Center’s Food Security Task Force, which promotes ongoing efforts to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have access to healthy, local food.
“As families across the Commonwealth continue to adjust to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that we support the Commonwealth’s food supply chain and increase access to fresh, local food,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are pleased to build on the success of this grant program, which is making critical investments that strengthen our local food system and ensuring its resilience to future challenges.”
“These grants will help Massachusetts families, especially those in underserved communities, access the nutritious food produced by the Commonwealth’s local food system more easily,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Strengthening food security in the Commonwealth will not only benefit families across the Commonwealth, but will also address the economic impacts of the pandemic on the state’s food supply chain.”
The goal of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program is to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have equitable access to food, especially local food. The program also seeks to ensure that farmers, fishermen and other local food producers are better connected to a strong, resilient food system to help mitigate future food supply and distribution disruption.
The third round of the grant program includes 33 awards
totaling $5,551,387 to fund investments in technology, equipment, increased
capacity, and other assistance to help producers distribute food, especially to
food insecure communities. When evaluating the applications, considerations
included equity, economic impact and need, sustainability and scalability of
efforts, and ability to support producer readiness to accept SNAP and HIP
benefits. In the program’s first two rounds, the Administration awarded a total of
$6,266,187 to 60 recipients.
“While Massachusetts continues to progress in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families throughout the Commonwealth continue to struggle with food insecurity during this challenging time,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides. “The grants awarded through this program represent a significant investment in the Commonwealth’s local food system, providing needed resources to our farmers, fishermen, and local food producers that will lead to economic activity while securing a diverse local food supply that will benefit residents throughout Massachusetts.”
Eligible grantees include entities that are part of the Massachusetts local food system including production, processing and distribution, the emergency food distribution network, Buy Local, community and food organizations, school meal programming, urban farms and community gardens, non-profits, and organizations that provide business planning, technical assistance and information technology services. The Request for Responses for project proposals closed on September 15, 2020. Applications submitted before the proposal deadline will continue to be evaluated for future rounds of funding.
“The Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Command Center Food Security Task Force has been working to address increased food insecurity for families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, building on and strengthening the infrastructure in place, and leveraging existing nutrition resources like SNAP, WIC, and the new P-EBT,” said COVID-19 Response Command Center Director and Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “These grants further strengthen the food system in Massachusetts, increasing access across the Commonwealth to support residents.”
The Commonwealth’s Food Security Task Force’s work is focused on ensuring that food insecurity and food supply needs are addressed during the COVID-19 public health emergency and into the long-term, including setting up more than 1,500 grab and go meal sites at schools across the Commonwealth, investing $5 million in the Healthy Incentives Program to bring on new retailers, launching the SNAP Online Purchasing Program to allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy groceries online from Walmart and Amazon, with over $9 million in transactions to date, issuing emergency SNAP benefits to more than 240,000 households to bring all SNAP recipients to their maximum benefit amount, bringing more than $210 million of federal dollars into the state, and leveraging federal flexibilities for SNAP and WIC to make it easier for households to get benefits. WIC flexibilities will continue through the end of the calendar year.
The Administration also announced approval for September Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT, benefits, to help cover the cost of missed school meals from the month of September due to delayed school opening or remote learning for over 470,000 students and their families. Benefits will start being available September 30, 2020 for an estimated total amount of over $40 million of federal dollars. P-EBT benefits supplement the free meals. Additionally, the majority of Massachusetts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants will see an increase in their benefits starting October 1, 2020 due to the annual cost of living adjustment. The maximum monthly SNAP benefits will be increasing 5% to reflect the recent increase in food prices, making these maximum benefits the highest they have been in the history of the program. This will also increase the amount of emergency SNAP benefits that households have been receiving monthly since March.
This grant program implements the recommendations of the Food Security Task Force, which was convened by the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center in response to increased demands for food assistance. The task force is composed of a broad group of public and private members charged with ensuring food insecurity and food supply needs are addressed during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“This pandemic has shown the gaps in the food chain and these grants will help to close that gap,” said Senator Anne M. Gobi, Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “I am thankful to all the grant recipients for doing their part towards a more sustainable food security future.”
“There has never been a more important time to support families struggling with food insecurity,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “I applaud the Baker-Polito Administration for striving to direct Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program funding toward the areas that can help the most people have access to healthy food in their community, including many important projects on the South Coast.”
“Elliot Farm has become a critical link to providing fresh vegetables to our region,” said Representative Norman Orrall. “I am very excited to see their grant award for food security infrastructure become a reality.”
“Thank you to the Baker-Polito Administration for recognizing the ongoing need and challenges so many face regarding food insecurity - especially during the pandemic. I cannot stress enough the incredible value of this program, and the countless individuals and families who will benefit from it,” said Representative Kimberly Ferguson. “Special thanks and congratulations to Lilac Hedge Farm for their ongoing hard work, commitment, and innovation within our community. They are true role models.”
The Food Insecurity Infrastructure Grant Program was announced in May 2020 as part of a $56 million investment by the Baker-Polito Administration to combat urgent food insecurity for some Massachusetts families and individuals as a result of COVID-19. The Administration also announced a $5 million increase for the Healthy Incentives Program to meet increased demand for local produce and to increase access points that process SNAP and HIP benefits, $12 million for the provision of 25,000 family food boxes per week through a regional food supply system, and $3 million in funding as an immediate relief valve to food banks.
In August, the Baker-Polito Administration launched the MassGrown Exchange, an online platform designed to facilitate business-to-business connections within the local food system for products and services. Developed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), in collaboration with the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), this platform was established to both address COVID-19 disruptions to the local food supply and to serve as a helpful tool and resource for Massachusetts growers and producers in accessing markets beyond the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.
The awardees for the third round of the Food Security
Infrastructure Grant Program include:
|
Applicant Name |
Location |
Project Description |
Funding |
|
Four Town Farm |
Seekonk |
Four Town Farm will install a ground level storage area
comprised of 4 new shipping containers. The containers will be used to store
excess packaging and essential farm supplies to extend the sales of produce
through the winter months. |
$43,100 |
|
Elliot Farm LLC |
Lakeville |
Elliot Farm will construct a new three level facility with
additional food storage capacity, a packing and processing area, wash
stations, and a retail area. Elliot Farm partners with Farm & Community
Collaborative to improve access to local farm fresh produce for the Gateway
Cities of Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton. |
$500,000 |
|
Apex Orchards, Inc. |
Shelburne |
Apex Orchards will purchase a new delivery vehicle and a
packing line to increase efficiency and provide better access to local fresh
fruit. |
$71,400 |
|
Signature Oyster Farm |
Edgartown |
Signature Oyster Farm will be starting a scallop farm to
increase the local availability of this seafood. |
$66,000 |
|
Lexington School Lunch Program |
Lexington |
Lexington School Lunch Program will purchase a
refrigerated van to assist with the transportation of food products and meals
within the district. They will also purchase hot and cold mobile transporting
equipment as well as a new serving line. |
$209,820 |
|
Dartmouth Public Schools |
Dartmouth |
Dartmouth Public Schools will purchase machinery to better
seal and package food for transport as well as refrigeration, heating
capacity, and insulated boxes to deliver to classrooms or make available to
send home to students. |
$65,307 |
|
New Bedford Public School District |
New Bedford |
New Bedford Public School will renovate and redesign the
High School Central Kitchen serving areas. This will include transforming the
serving areas into a grab and go service area as well as allow the Food
Services Department to provide food to 30 sites in the district. |
$484,579 |
|
New Bedford Public School District |
New Bedford |
New Bedford Public School will renovate and increase
storage and refrigeration capacity as well as purchase packing equipment for
the High School Central Kitchen. This renovation will allow the Food Services
Department to provide food to 30 sites in the district. |
$485,008 |
|
New Bedford Public School District |
New Bedford |
New Bedford Public School will purchase kitchen equipment
as well as install a fourth serving pod in the High School Central Kitchen.
This will allow the Food Services Department to provide 30 sites in the
district. |
$450,753 |
|
Coastline Elderly Services |
New Bedford |
Coastline Elderly Services will purchase and install
refrigeration units to allow for the procurement, storage, and distribution
of additional perishable foods, produce, and dairy products. Coastline
Elderly Services provides meals to seniors in need. |
$9,775 |
|
Lilac Hedge Farm |
Holden |
Lilac Hedge Farm will construct a packing barn as well as
the installation of a walk-in cooler, and ice machines to better deliver
products at a safe temperature. |
$456,575 |
|
Foxborough Schools' Food Service |
Foxborough |
Foxborough Schools' Food Service will purchase an online
ordering system as well as storage and cooking equipment to better expand
their program and feed those in their community. |
$63,827 |
|
Lyonsville Farm |
Charlemont |
Lyonsville Farm will purchase a new van that will allow
for the increase in delivery capabilities to the Greenfield Farmers' Market. |
$53,212 |
|
Mapleline Farm, LLC |
Hadley |
Mapleline Farm will purchase a refrigerated delivery truck
to be able to better deliver their products throughout Massachusetts. |
$115,991 |
|
North Adams Public Schools-Food Services |
North Adams |
North Adams Public Schools Food Services Department will
purchase a new van to continue the operation of grab and go meal sites as
well as home delivery meal sites for students in need in the community. |
$27,000 |
|
Hockomock Area YMCA |
North Attleborough |
Hockomock Area YMCA will purchase three modular food
centers as well as retrofit a farm barn as a series of Healthy Food Access
Centers. These Healthy Food Access Centers will effectively and efficiently
meet the growing needs of the communities they serve, including helping to
address access/distribution, short-term storing, and sourcing issues. |
$392,563 |
|
Stillman's at the Turkey Farm Inc |
Hardwick |
Stillman's at the Turkey Farm will expand and update their
poultry and meat processing facility. This project will increase meat
processing capacity in Massachusetts. |
$313,048 |
|
Mycoterra Farm |
South Deerfield |
Mycoterra Farm will purchase refrigeration, storage, and
transportation equipment as well as develop a commercial kitchen to expand
food storage capacity for a variety of crops as well as increase capacity for
winter storage. Mycoterra farms serves adult day care and housing facilities
and low-income residents and will be able to deliver food to those in need. |
$447,563 |
|
Bree-Z-Knoll Farm, LLC |
Leyden |
Bree-Z-Knoll Farm will install a milk and dairy processing
facility, which will include dry good storage and refrigeration as well as a
farm store to be able to sell their products. They will also purchase a
refrigerated truck to be able to make deliveries throughout Massachusetts. |
$500,000 |
|
Hickory Hill Farm |
Worthington |
Hickory Hill Farm will construct a food grade kitchen
facility to enable them to better package their products for distribution. |
$21,000 |
|
Community Action Pioneer Valley |
Greenfield |
Community Action Pioneer Valley (CAPV) is the federally
designated anti-poverty agency for Franklin and Hampshire Counties. They run
the Center for Self-Reliance food pantry, which serves residents in Franklin
County. CAPV will purchase a refrigerated truck to expand their ability to
offer food delivery services, a refrigerated display, and develop an online
system to allow for curbside pick-up. |
$65,606 |
|
We Grow Microgreens, LLC |
Boston |
We Grow Microgreens is an urban farm in Boston that serves
mainly residents in Roslindale, Hyde Park, and Mattapan. They will purchase
shade curtains for the workroom and growing area, delivery van, and raised
bed with tools and a water line to better grow vegetables. |
$171,469 |
|
Braintree Public Schools |
Braintree |
Braintree Public Schools will purchase vending merchandise
kiosks for schools to increase the accessibility of meal distribution within
each school. Additionally, they will purchase a software to help provide
choices for parents and students. |
$42,614 |
|
Mapleline Farm |
Hadley |
Mapleline Farm will upgrade their milk processing
equipment to be able to better fill containers in a safer manner and expand
into new markets. |
$163,822 |
|
Mills River Cranberry Co. |
Barnstable |
Mills River Cranberry will purchase a new tractor to be
able to grow, harvest, and deliver cranberries to market safely. |
$41,500 |
|
Marshfield Farmers' Market |
Marshfield |
Marshfield Farmers Market will expand virtual components
of the farmers market by allowing for ordering, pickup, and local food
distribution. |
$891 |
|
Hagers Farm Market LLC |
Shelburne |
Hagers Farm Market will purchase and install two
cooler/freezer units as well as purchase a refrigerated truck to be able to
deliver their products in a safer and more effective manner as well as expand
into the winter months. |
$109,547 |
|
Monk's Cove Sea Farm |
Bourne |
Monk's Cove Sea Farm will purchase a boat to be able to
deliver product from the farm to the dock to serve as a mobile, open-air farm
stand. They will also purchase a refrigerated concession trailer to begin to
participate in local farmers markets. |
$63,935 |
|
Boston Medical Center Corporation |
Boston |
Boston Medical Center will purchase two delivery vans to
support the delivery of emergency food to vulnerable patients. |
$48,550 |
|
Grace Hill Farm |
Cummington |
Grace Hill Farm will construct a walk-in cooler for cold
storage of fresh cheeses and bottled milk. This will enable them to meet the
increased demand for fresh cheeses and milk. |
$20,000 |
|
Hartley-Rhodes, Inc |
Rochester |
Hartley-Rhodes will purchase a utility vehicle, trailer,
and forklift attachment to be able to continue to harvest cranberries to meet
demand as well as allow for proper social distancing for employees. |
$21,664 |
|
Round Island Shellfish |
Fairhaven |
Round Island Shellfish will purchase an ice machine and
insulated storage bin to produce ice on site to be able to store and
transport oysters to market. |
$6,965 |
|
Stratford St United Church - Rose's Bounty Food Pantry |
Boston |
Stratford Street United Church's Rose's Bounty food pantry
will convert a small room into a cool storage location to better be able to
store and distribute food to residents in need in the Boston area. |
$18,300 |
