Project Bread Supports Community Projects Fighting Food Insecurity Across Massachusetts

Merrimack Valley YMCA has served generations of children, adults and seniors through programs and services that focus on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility. 

The Be the Bridge program, which received a $6,500 grant from Project Bread, provides Lawrence youth leaders a unique opportunity to explore current social and political issues through service-learning experiences, exchanges with community leaders, and hands-on research. In the program, the youth will: 

• Focus on food insecurity and homelessness within the community 

• Build awareness and opinions 

• Develop critical thinking skills through dialogue and debate  

• Create an action plan on a topic of interest, encouraging them to make positive change

Partners for a Healthier Community and United Neighbors of Fall River are committed to finding ways to help the people of Fall River meet the needs fundamental to living healthy, productive, supported lives. 

In an effort to carry out long-term, impactful initiatives, Partners and United Neighbors will be using their $6,500 Pathways to Change grant to run Crockpot Programs for dozens of diverse, low-income Fall River families. 

These free programs will: 

• Show families how to cook crockpot meals that are inexpensive, nutritious and easy to prepare 

• Provide cooking instructions, an assortment of kitchen tools, a crockpot cookbook, ingredients and best of all, a free crockpot!

La Colaborativa reaches the community through an active three step process: Survival, Stability and Empowerment. 

The organization, after decades of community involvement, recognized the urgent need for  proper assistance, understanding, and representation during the pandemic. 

La Colaborativa has become a crucial pillar to the Chelsea community through their work to establish essential departments such as triage, economic development, a prominent food pantry, a targeted youth program for ages 14-21, and a policy and organization department to uplift everyone who walks through their doors. 

With Project Bread’s funding, the organization will: 

• Invest in the shared community kitchen and nutrition education programs 

• Support members through outreach and consultations

Regional Environmental Council (REC) focuses on building community food security through school and community gardens, youth farming, and mobile and community farmers market programs. 

Their work through this grant focuses on increasing awareness and use of the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). 

They were awarded the first of two annual installments of $30,000 from Project Bread, with which they’ll: 

• Educate community members to raise awareness of HIP 

• Support increased outreach to parents through REC’s Farm to Early Childhood project, which supports garden-based programs and education

Mill City Grows (MCG) is a food justice and urban agriculture organization based in Lowell, MA. MCG serves the Lowell community through urban farms, community and school gardens, mobile markets and a CSA program, and community education and advocacy. 

The organization has been awarded the first of two annual installments of $30,000 to support its commitment to eradicating hunger in Massachusetts. 

The funding will allow MCG to: 

• Invest in the Community Food Partnership of Lowell (CFP), a local food policy council 

• Host community forums for food advocacy within the council  

• Break down barriers to accessing food benefits by doubling the number of registered SNAP Outreach Partners in Lowell