On behalf of the Worcester Access to Grocery Stores Working Group (WAGS), convened by the Center on Food Equity at the Worcester County Food Bank, we are pleased to share a new report: Grocery Store Access in Worcester: Analysis, Engagement, and Recommendations.
This report was developed in response to the recent closure of multiple full-service grocery stores in Worcester and the growing impact these closures are having on residents’ access to affordable, healthy, and culturally relevant food. Through multilingual surveys, neighborhood-based community conversations, and analysis of food access and demographic data, the Working Group identified both the scale of the challenge and actionable pathways forward.
The report highlights:
Most importantly, this work demonstrates that equitable food access must be understood as essential community infrastructure and requires coordinated leadership across public, private, nonprofit, healthcare, and philanthropic sectors.
The Working Group is continuing conversations with potential operating partners and exploring opportunities connected to redevelopment efforts in priority neighborhoods, including the Lincoln Street corridor, Great Brook Valley and the South Worcester Cambridge Street areas. We hope this report can serve as both a resource and a call to collaborative action.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss the findings further and explore ways to partner in advancing sustainable food access solutions for Worcester residents. Casey Burns, Co-Chair for the Center on Food Equity will serve as contact for inquiries about the report at casey@healthygreaterworcester.org and can direct any City of Worcester related questions to the relevant contact there as well.
