Columbia County: Fresh & Healthy Food for All
Launched in 2015, this donor-directed project is designed to transform the food system over time for the benefit of all Columbia County residents, especially low-income families and seniors.
Two principal grantees, Hawthorne Valley Association and The Sylvia Center, implement the project, whose accomplishments include: opening a grocery store in downtown Hudson and a mobile market serving the county with tiered pricing systems; expanding a gleaning program that delivers unused or unsaleable produce directly to food pantries countywide; and bringing one-of-a-kind healthy cooking programs for young people and their families to all six of Columbia County’s public school districts. Over 80 local community members involved in food-related industries across the county—including farms, food pantries, distributors, food retailers, community-based organizations and public agencies – contributed to the project’s development.
Berkshire County: CARES Act Grants
Berkshire Taconic partnered with with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development to administer the CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) Food Security Program in Berkshire County.
We were one of more than a dozen community foundations across the state that will re-grant funds to local or regional community-based organizations with the capacity to efficiently provide immediate relief and support for individuals and families.
These one-time grants are intended to direct vital resources to individuals and households experiencing food insecurity as a result of the pandemic. Grants are supporting capital expenses and projects aimed at expanding and/or improving the capacity of food provision programs.
Berkshire County: Food Access for School Families
Berkshire Taconic donors concerned that school-age children and their families lack sustainable access to fresh food have launched a multi-year project in partnership with Fairview Hospital’s Rural Health Network.
Funding for a new food coordinator position there has helped to strengthen existing efforts while initiating a plan to fill gaps in critical free and reduced lunch programs. The project has grown to become a working group of food pantries, schools, health care providers and others dedicated to building a better coordinated and enduring food access system.
