Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $5.5 Million to Improve Food Security in Massachusetts

 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

 

迪士尼今日裁員28,000人

             (Boston Orange 編譯)迪士尼公司今(29)日傳出裁員28,000人，主要是公園，體驗及消費產品部門員工。

            迪士尼公司公園部門主管Jose D’Amaro今日發信個素員工，因為新冠病毒大流行(COVID-19)疫情持續，公司不得不做出一些困難決定，包括數以千計放無薪假的員工將裁撤。

            今日的股市關門時，迪士尼的公司股價下跌2%。

            這28,000名被裁員工，約67%為兼職人員。迪士尼拒絕透露個別地點公園的裁員人數。

            迪士尼在佛羅里達州，巴黎，上海，日本，香港等地的主題公園，能夠做有限度的開放，但位於加州Anaheim的加州冒險，以及迪士尼樂園，仍然維持關閉狀態。

            Jose D’Amaroy在信件中向員工表示，這樣規模的決定，並不容易。過去幾個越來，管理團隊努力避免裁減任何一個人，他們刪減了開支，延緩了物業項目，在付給福利的情況下請演藝人員休假，還改變營運作法已更盡可能的更有效率，但是在這樣有限度的營運下，他們真的沒辦法持續聘僱所有人。

            公園，體驗和消費產品部門是迪士尼的重要部門。去年該部門的營運成績在全公司的696億元營運額中佔了37%。

WHIAAPI kicking off "The Future of Business" on Oct. 2nd.

 

Join us for WHIAAPI’s Future of Business Virtual Series Kick-off!

Join us for WHIAAPI’s Future of Business Virtual Series Kick-off! The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) invites you to participate in The Future of Business Virtual Series with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) & U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) on October 1, 2020. The virtual event will start promptly at 2:00pm EDT with special opening remarks from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao, who is Co-Chair of WHIAAPI, alongside U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, who we will hear from later in the series. This White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) event is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOC), and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to inform AAPI-owned small businesses about the tools, resources and opportunities available at these three cabinet-level agencies.  Special opening remarks from Secretary Elaine L. Chao & Dr. Paul Hsu, Chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs Presenters: LaJuene Desmukes, Director of the DOC Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization   Willis Morris, Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration and DOT OSDBU Director Ben Raju, District Director of the Los Angeles SBA & WHIAAPI RN Co-Lead Sign up today!

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) invites you to participate in The Future of Business Virtual Series with the Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the U.S. Small Business Administration. The virtual event is on Friday, October 2, 2020 and it will start promptly at 2:00pm EDT. We are honored to have the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Women’s Business Ownership, Sery Kim, Esq., presenting on the business development opportunities and resources for AAPI Women Entrepreneurs as well as updates on disaster relief resources. Presenter: Sery Kim, Esq., Assistant Administrator, Office of Women’s Business Ownership at the U.S. Small Business Administration Special Guests: Commissioner Jan-Ie Low & Commissioner Keiko Orrall of the President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs Sign up today!

麻州低危社區10月5日起第三階段第二步開放 戶外活動最多250人

(Boston Orange 編譯)麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)在9月29日宣佈，從10月5日(週一)開始，風險較低社區可進入第三階段第二步驟的重新開放。室內及戶外的表演場館容量，可增加50%，最高至250人。

一般室內的社區聚會，最多25人，住家內的聚會可方寬至最多50人。在戶外的公共場所聚會，第三階段第一步驟類別社區最多50人，第三階段第二步驟類別社區最多100人。

麻州政府在5月18日公佈了四階段重新開放計畫。上個月並開始依照每10萬人每日新冠確診人數的比率，以紅黃綠白等顏色標誌麻州351個市鎮的新冠病毒傳染危險程度。低風險社區是指在最近三週的公共衛生廳（DPH）每週報告中都沒有變成“紅色”社區的城鎮。

在第三階段的第二步驟開放中，蹦床，障礙物，溜冰場和激光標籤等地活動，容量將可增加50%，零售店可開放使用試衣間。體育館，博物館，圖書館以及駕駛和飛行學校等場所的容量，也可增加到場地面積所容許的50％。(更新版)

 

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Step II of Phase III for Lower Risk Communities Effective October 5th

 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that effective Monday, October 5^th, lower risk communities will be permitted to move into Step II of Phase III of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. All other communities will remain in Phase III, Step I. Governor Charlie Baker also issued a revised gatherings order. Industry specific guidance and protocols for a range of Phase I, II, and III businesses will also be updated.

 Phase III, Step II:

On May 18, the Baker-Polito Administration released a four-phased plan to reopen the economy based on sustained improvements in public health data.

Last month, the Administration began releasing data on the average daily COVID cases per 100,000 residents, average percent positivity, and total case counts, for all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns.

Lower risk communities are defined as cities and towns that have not been a “red” community in any of the last three weekly Department of Public Health (DPH) weekly reports.

Effective October 5, a limited number of sectors will be eligible to reopen, with restrictions, in Step II of Phase III for lower risk communities only:

·  Indoor performance venues will be permitted to open with 50% capacity with a maximum of 250 people.

·  Outdoor performance venue capacity will increase to 50% with a max of 250 people.

·  For arcades and indoor and outdoor recreation businesses, additional Step II activities like trampolines, obstacle courses, roller rinks and laser tag will also be permitted to open and capacity will increase to 50%.

·  Fitting rooms will be permitted to open in all types of retail stores. 

·  Gyms, museums, libraries and driving and flight schools will also be permitted to increase their capacity to 50%.

Revised Gatherings Order:

·  The limit for indoor gatherings remains at a maximum of 25 people for all communities.

·  Outdoor gatherings at private residences and in private backyards will remain at a maximum of 50 people for all communities.

·  Outdoor gatherings at event venues and in public settings will have a limit of 50 people in Step I communities, and a limit of 100 people in lower risk, Step II communities.