Investing in Our Communities

We launched the Community partnership grant program 2021, supporting ten community-based organizations across the state. Each of our partners was awarded a two year, $25,000 recurring grant. We engage and support them over the award years to work toward shared goals —ranging from strengthening local hunger networks to closing the SNAP gap and making federal and nutritional programs more accessible to all communities in Massachusetts.

We provide our resources and expertise in federal nutrition programs, press opportunities to elevate their work, support involvement in advocacy efforts, and share knowledge of best practices.

Through these partnerships, we are building a strong community network across the state where information, resources, and knowledge can be shared, and we can all work together break the hunger cycle.

Home to the largest foreign-born population of any Boston neighborhood, East Boston is also one of the fastest changing neighborhoods. As a recent target for luxury real estate development, East Boston has seen a sharp spike in cost of living with a rapidly widening income gap. To address the social determinants of health for its patients and other community members, the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center operates a Community Resource and Wellness Center that connects patients with food, legal help, housing, clothing and other income supports. 

Home to a diverse population, over half of Everett residents speak a language other than or in addition to English. As the only Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) vendor in Everett, Everett Community Growers provides a much-needed resource for residents to purchase affordable, locally-grown produce right from its own community gardens. It is also a leader in food access planning efforts for the city.

Still recovering from the gas explosions of 2018 when the pandemic hit in 2020, the city of Lawrence built strong community partnerships to ensure its residents — 79% of whom are Latino/a — have their basic needs met. Groundwork Lawrence is at the forefront of the community’s efforts, working at the intersection of urban planning and community engagement to improve food security through farmers markets, community gardens, a Healthy on the Block Bodega program, its newly-launched Restaurant Meal Program, and a regional food access network. 

The Boston neighborhood of Mattapan boasts residents and community leaders who are strong advocates for ensuring the community is not “left behind.” Over 90% of Mattapan residents identify as Black or Latino/a, and a third are foreign born. Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition has developed strong partnerships and strategies to ensure all residents are able to benefit from and contribute to food access and healthy living programming, including farmers markets, community gardens, cooking classes, youth development, and physical activity.

With a population of more than 94,000, Quincy has the highest concentration of Asian American residents of any municipality in Massachusetts. Quincy also had disproportionate rates of poverty among all minority residents. As a leading nonprofit in the Quincy area, Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc. aims to reduce inequities and provide a wide range of culturally sensitive anti-poverty services to the community, including food security programs, heating assistance, affordable housing, Head Start, and adult education.