Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $5.9 Million
to Support Food Security in Massachusetts
Fourth Round of New Grant Program to Increase Access
to Local Food
BOSTON – Continuing its ongoing efforts to support a
resilient, secure local food supply chain in Massachusetts, the Baker-Polito Administration
today announced $5.9 million in grants to address urgent food insecurity for
residents across the Commonwealth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This
funding is being awarded as part of the fourth 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 part of our response to
the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to build on our efforts to secure a
resilient, diverse local food supply chain so Massachusetts residents maintain
access to fresh, healthy food,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With this
fourth round of grants, we will have awarded a total of $17.7 million, making
critical investments in our local food infrastructure and ensuring a secure
supply of food as residents across the Commonwealth adjust to the impacts of
this unprecedented public health challenge.”
“Families throughout
Massachusetts, especially those living in underserved communities, will
continue to receive better access to healthy, local food through the
investments made through this important program,” said Lt. Governor Karyn
Polito. “These projects will ensure a strong, resilient supply of local
food while delivering health and economic benefits to communities across the
Commonwealth.”
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 fourth round of the grant
program includes 47 awards for a total of $5,895,554 to fund critical
investments in technology, equipment, capacity, and other assistance to help
local food producers, especially in the distribution of 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 three rounds, the Administration
awarded over $11.7
to more than 90 recipients.
“Food insecurity remains a
significant challenge for families throughout the Commonwealth during the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary
Kathleen Theoharides. “These projects address critical gaps within
Massachusetts’ local food system, and this significant investment will help our
local farmers, fishermen, food banks, and distribution networks continue their
essential work producing a steady supply of healthy, nutritious food to
communities and underserved neighborhoods.”
“The continued work of the
Food Security Task Force under the COVID-19 Command Center has built out the
food security infrastructure in the Commonwealth, connecting families and
individuals with critical food resources during the pandemic,” said COVID-19
Response Command Center Director and Secretary of Health and Human Services
Marylou Sudders. “This round of grants supports local organizations that
help meet Massachusetts’ residents needs where they are, including supporting
organizations that participate in existing nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC
that help residents with limited income access healthy food.”
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.
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.
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.
Several new HIP vendors are
receiving funding through this round of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant
Program to purchase new equipment to process SNAP and HIP benefits. Back
Azimuth Farm, in Middleborough, is a veteran-owned farm that sells at
farmers’ markets and donates unsold products to their local food pantry. As a
new HIP vendor, they will create new farmers market opportunities at VA
hospitals in line with the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Department of Veteran Services’ veteran
outreach initiative. All Farmers
will bring HIP to West Springfield for the first time. The organization
represents a broad network of refugee and immigrant farmers who will be selling
to their own community members and are able to service clients in Nepali, Maai
Maai, and Kiswahili.
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.
“Challenges to our food
supply from the COVID-19 pandemic have given us a powerful reminder of just how
important it is to have local fishing and farming, and organizations to get
food to those at risk of hunger. What's more, the pandemic has brought into
sharp focus the opportunities we have to help them grow and innovate,” said
Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr. “These grants will give recipients
the strength they need now, and the chance to develop into even greater
resources in the future for the people of our state.”
“Compared to 2019, Cape &
Island families are experiencing a 70% spike in food insecurity compared to last
year. Our aquaculturists, fishermen, farmers, and food pantry workers have
banded together to meet this harrowing moment,” said Senator Julian Cyr.
“I’m grateful for the support they are receiving from the Commonwealth to
continue ensuring that every family on Cape Cod and the Islands knows where
their next meal comes from.”
“These grants are a great
first step toward strengthening our ability to deliver food from the
harvesters, our fishermen and farmers for delivery to the consumers,” said
Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante. “I am particularly pleased that in
this first round, preference was also given to food pantries which have been so
important in ensuring food security for our most vulnerable. I look forward to
watching the Commonwealth's investment and growth in our food supply chain.”
“This grant will support the
efforts of the Wellfleet Shellfish company to expand operational function
from a seafood distributor to a vertically-integrated seafood production
facility. This effort supplies nutritious food to the hungry and supports the
shellfish industry. It is a win-win program and a tremendous help for Cape
Codders,” said Representative Sarah Peake. “I want to thank the
Baker-Polito Administration for their support of this program, and say hats off
to the Wellfleet Shellfish Company for their ingenuity and generosity in
creating this program.”
The awardees for the fourth
round of the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program include:
|
Awardee
|
Location
|
Project Description
|
Funding
|
|
Chris Farm Stand
|
Bradford
|
Chris Farm Stand will purchase software and
equipment to be able to process SNAP payments.
|
$1,158
|
|
Hartsbrook School - Farm and CSA
|
Hadley
|
Hatsbrook School, Farm and CSA, will purchase
farm equipment to continue producing food on campus for distribution to the
local food banks and other organizations.
|
$12,137
|
|
Davidian's Farm Project
|
Northborough
|
Davidian's Farm will purchase farming and
packaging equipment to better expand their crop variety and improve their
ability to package and distribute food to address food insecurity, including
their partnership with the Greater Boston Food Bank as well as local
pantries.
|
$249,694
|
|
Daniel's Table
|
Framingham
|
Daniel's Table will purchase a delivery
vehicle, a refrigerated food van, as well as kitchen equipment to address
food insecurity through their Womb to 5 Program that assists expectant
mothers and their families.
|
$120,207
|
|
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, Inc.
|
Holyoke
|
The Boys & Girls Club will renovate building with new
kitchen equipment in order to create a centralized food hub for youth.
|
$500,000
|
|
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield
|
Westfield
|
The Boys & Girls Club will convert its kitchen into a
commercial kitchen in order to expand meal production capacity.
|
$134,177
|
|
Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center
|
Gardner
|
The Veterans Outreach Center will replace shelving units in
its food pantry in order to increase food storage capacity and create safer
working conditions.
|
$8,241
|
|
J&K's Good Thyme Farm
|
Ashburnham
|
J&K's Good Thyme Farm will purchase a commercial cooler
and freezer for the farm stand which will expand offerings of perishable
items.
|
$8,022
|
|
Sunderland Farm Collaborative
|
Sunderland
|
Sunderland Farm Collaborative will purchase two
refrigerated vehicles, a building expansion to increase storage space,
construction of a new warehouse, and the purchase of refrigeration equipment
in order to expand food storage and delivery capacity for the farm.
|
$318,328
|
|
Salem Public Schools
|
Salem
|
Salem Public Schools will purchase a food delivery van in
order to deliver food to delivery sites and student homes.
|
$104,954
|
|
Stony Hill Farm, LLC.
|
Wilbraham
|
Stony Hill Farm will construct a farm stand and display
cooler to replace tent.
|
$30,459
|
|
The Open Door
|
Gloucester
|
The Open Door will develop and implement an
online ordering and delivery system, expand storage to increase choice of
meals as well as store locally produced food, and expand their Mobile Market
program to be able to reach more areas throughout the community.
|
$201,073
|
|
They Keep Bees
|
Montague
|
They Keep Bees will develop a mobile honey processing
kitchen in order to facilitate honey processing in the field and increase
capacity.
|
$10,054
|
|
Back Azimuth Farm
|
Middleborough
|
Back Azimuth Farm will purchase SNAP processing equipment.
|
$1,159
|
|
Pioneer Valley Milk Marketing Cooperative
|
Greenfield
|
The Cooperative will purchase a milk tanker truck to haul
milk to MA-based milk-processing plant, 2 refrigerated trucks to deliver
products to stores, raw milk container for the expanded processing, and
associated equipment for milk processing and delivery.
|
$373,518
|
|
Citizens Inn
|
Peabody
|
Citizens Inn, merged with Haven from Hunger,
will renovate their facility to increase storage capacity for food received
from the Greater Boston Food Bank as well as local farms and partners. This
will include both dry and refrigerated, to meet the increased demand
they are seeing due to COVID.
|
$475,587
|
|
Dick's Market Garden, Inc.
|
Lunenburg
|
Dick's Market Garden will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$1,086
|
|
Saint James Outreach/Saint James Church
|
Grafton
|
Saint James will purchase freezers and a
refrigerator in order to store perishable items for distribution to food
insecure residents.
|
$5,019
|
|
RiverMills Council on Aging
|
Chicopee
|
The Council will purchase refrigeration
equipment and a meat slicer in order to store and prepare more meals for
Elder services.
|
$12,311
|
|
Nubian United Benevolent International
Association (NUBIA) Inc.
|
Boston
|
NUBIA will purchase a truck to increase
services like transportation of supplies & produce
and expansion into new farmer's markets
|
$45,705
|
|
Small Farm, Inc
|
Stow
|
Small Farm will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$1,049
|
|
Oriental Farm
|
Brockton
|
Oriental Farm will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$1,271
|
|
Seeds of Solidarity Education Center Inc
|
Orange
|
The Center will purchase food safety equipment
and facility adaptations that will improve supply of affordable farm-fresh
vegetables in a low-income community.
|
$9,878
|
|
Atlantic Coast Seafood Inc.
|
Boston
|
Atlantic Coast Seafood will pursue
infrastructure upgrades to ice machines on the Boston Fish Pier that would
improve current ice making capacity, allowing Atlantic Coast Seafood to meet
the ice quantity needs of the New England fishing fleet.
|
$500,000
|
|
Wulf Fish Wholesale, LLC
|
Boston
|
Wulf Fish Wholesale will expand new e-commerce
operation to increase purchasing with fishing communities in MA, to boost
opportunity in food processing, to reduce food insecurity, and to expand
seafood nutritional education.
|
$337,500
|
|
Regional Environmental Council, Inc.
|
Worcester
|
The Council will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$985
|
|
Hilltown Mobile Market
|
Chesterfield
|
The Market will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$1,069
|
|
Boston Area Gleaners
|
Waltham
|
Boston Area Gleaners will expand capacity and
efficiency of packing, distribution, and inventory management processes
through purchases of vehicles, equipment, and software.
|
$296,640
|
|
Reefer Van for the Island Food Pantry
|
Tisbury
|
Reefer Van for the Island Food Pantry will
purchase a refrigerated van to support local deliveries through a
newly-formed Delivery Service to members and safely transport food between
storage facilities on Martha's Vineyard.
|
$42,000
|
|
Sauchuk Farm, LLC
|
Plympton
|
Sauchuk Farm will purchase a new irrigation
reel to be used on a variety of crops, to meet demand for locally grown food
in the area.
|
$20,800
|
|
Gardening the Community
|
Springfield
|
Gardening the Community will purchase
infrastructure to support production capacity, produce storage and delivery
and aggregation infrastructure.
|
$61,975
|
|
ServiceNet, Inc.
|
Hatfield
|
ServiceNet, Inc. will use its grant for capital
investments, web platform improvements to expand the functionality of an
online ordering system, and increased cold storage and refrigerated trucking
capacity for highly demanded online orders. Proposal serves customers with
mental health issues and for group homes.
|
$88,851
|
|
Mullaney's Fish Market
|
Cohasset
|
A joint proposal between Mullaney's Fish Market,
Inc., XII Northeast Fishery Sector, Inc. and Friends of South Shore Seafood
Development, Inc. to purchase equipment to facilitate start-up and increase
processing capacity at a new facility already nearing completion in Scituate,
Mass.
|
$243,250
|
|
Wellfleet Shellfish Company
|
Eastham
|
Wellfleet Shellfish will invest in
infrastructure to expand operational function from a seafood distributor to a
vertically-integrated seafood production facility.
|
$390,062
|
|
YMCA of Metro North
|
Lynn
|
YMCA of Metro North will purchase a
refrigerated van to deliver meals and distribute food donations, service
supplies, equipment to increase capacity at several YMCA locations, and
create cafeteria space to serve food at the Lynn YMCA.
|
$130,000
|
|
Pittsfield Public Schools
|
Pittsfield
|
Pittsfield Public School will buy a
refrigerated delivery truck to facilitate safe deliveries of USDA foods and
DoD produce as well as local food purchased. This vehicle will be used during
the school year and summer to safely distribute food to all 12 school
kitchens as well as pick up USDA Food monthly offer.
|
$106,583
|
|
Great Falls Aquaculture, LLC
|
Montague
|
Great Falls will expand and enhance its current
processing room to include freezing, vacuum sealing, smoking, and frozen
storage capabilities; and purchase a truck with refrigeration and heating
capability for delivering the processed fish and picking up fingerlings
shipped from overseas.
|
$221,260
|
|
Community Servings, Inc.
|
Boston
|
Community Servings provides medically-tailored
meals across MA and will expand to 800,000 meals annually through additional
infrastructure: industrial food storage and processing equipment and
additional refrigerated delivery vans. These investments are critical to meet
the increased need across the state among highly vulnerable, food insecure,
and immunocompromised individuals living with critical and chronic illnesses.
|
$227,000
|
|
Mei Mei Restaurant Inc
|
Boston
|
Mei Mei Restaurants Inc will purchase food
storage, processing, and transportation equipment as well as improved
technology to build the infrastructure necessary to provide no-cost grocery
delivery to food insecure families in the Boston metro area.
|
$55,454
|
|
Riquezas del Campo
|
Hatfield
|
Riquezas del Campo will purchase SNAP
processing equipment.
|
$1,268
|
|
F/V Padre Pio
|
Boston
|
F/V Padre Pio will develop an automatic fish
gutting and conveyor system on the deck of the Padre Pio that would
significantly reduce the amount of time a catch would be exposed to ambient
temperatures on deck before being stored safely below on ice, allowing
vessels to catch fish at a higher quality with longer shelf life.
|
$115,000
|
|
Russo Fishing Company
|
Gloucester
|
Russo Fishing Company will develop an automatic
fish gutting and conveyor system on the deck of the Miss Trish that would
significantly reduce the amount of time a catch would be exposed to ambient
temperatures on deck before being stored safely below on ice, allowing vessels
to catch fish at a higher quality with longer shelf life.
|
$95,000
|
|
All Farmers
|
Springfield
|
All Farmers will purchase SNAP processing
equipment.
|
$1,696
|
|
We Grow Microgreens, LLC
|
Boston
|
We Grow Microgreens will purchase software and
equipment to be able to process SNAP payments.
|
$525
|
|
St. Mary's Center for Women and Children
|
Boston
|
St. Mary's will pursue food storage
improvements to cafeteria in Dorchester and food pantry in East Boston,
including purchase and installation of new industrial-sized walk-in
refrigerators and freezers to support the increased level of food storage and
meal preparation to meet the demands of the families they serve.
|
$111,437
|
|
Motor Vessel Yankee Rose, Inc.
|
Scituate
|
Motor Vessel Yankee Rose will purchase a KM
Fish Machinery A/S model Mark 7 fish gutting machine, a model KM130-110
vertical fish elevator and a model KM10 fish washing unit and install them on
the F/V Miss Emily.
|
$82,600
|
|
Riquezas del Campo
|
Northampton
|
Riquezas del Campo will pursue infrastructure
improvements that will allow for expansion of farm production to meet the
rising need for fresh food among low-wage and immigrant workers in the
Pioneer Valley. Infrastructure improvements include potable water access,
mobile wash station and trailer, tractor, caterpillar tunnels, and mobile
cold storage unit.
|
$139,508
|
