Central MA Center on Food Equity Launches Thursday
New Initiative to Focus on Equitable Food Access and Policy
WORCESTER, MA: The Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB) announced Thursday the launch of a new initiative: the Center on Food Equity. The Center will focus on food access issues and policy solutions to food insecurity at local, state, and federal levels. The new Center was announced at an event hosted at WCFB with special guest speaker, U.S. Representative Jim McGovern and State Represenative Mary Keeffe.
The Center brings together under one umbrella structure three existing partner coalitions: the Central MA SNAP Coalition, the Worcester Food Policy Council, and the City of Worcester Task Force on Food Security. Each of the three organizations has been working to address aspects of food access in Central Massachusetts. Bringing them together under one umbrella will facilitate coordination, and strengthen their reach.
“WCFB recognizes that it is essential to continue building capacity with the community to advocate for systemic change and sustainable solutions to the problem of hunge. Funding these partner coalitions through the Center on Food Equity supports the work to be more effective and efficient and to have greater impact in creating an equitable and hunger-free and healthy community.”
Jean McMurray, CEO
About Worcester County Food Bank
Founded in 1982, Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB) is the region’s largest anti-hunger organization. WCFB commits to ending hunger by providing people with quality donations of fresh, frozen, and non-perishable food through a network of Partner Agencies (food pantries, community meal programs, and shelters) throughout Worcester County. Its commitment to ending hunger continues with advocating for programs that increase people’s access to healthy food such as SNAP and school meals and policy solutions that address the root causes of food insecurity and poverty such as monthly child tax credit payments and higher wages.
About Worcester Food Policy Council
Founded in 2006, the Worcester Food Policy Council is a program of Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB). It brings together advocates and resources from diverse communities and organizations representing agriculture, education, faith groups, food security, health and healthcare that focus on creating a more just and equitable food system in Worcester.
About Central Mass SNAP Coalition
The Central Mass SNAP Coaltions is cohort of front line providers and community partners who meet with the Department of Transiational Assistance (DTA) to share best practices on meeting the needs of SMAP participants. They invite special state and federal partners to update them on the latest news affecting SNAP, and also provide updates on new changes or policies. Lastly, this is an opportunity for individuals to share with the DTA the issues that they are seeing on the ground and ask for changes.
About City of Worcester Task Force on Food Security
(The City of Worcester Task Force on Food Security is a coaltion of individuals, organizations, and agencies focused on identifying food resources, gaps, and opportunties in Worcester to create a vibrant and inclusive food-secure community. The task force maintains a comprehensive list of food resources for the community at www.foodhelpworcester.org.
