Hunger and food insecurity is growing throughout the country affecting almost 16% of our Berkshire community.  In 2008, charitable meal sites in the Berkshires were running out of food, unable to keep up with the increasing need.  This community concern became the catalyst that inspired and launched the Berkshire Co-Act “Food Net”, a grassroots initiative dedicated to the food security and nutritional needs of the thirty-three meal sites of Central and Southern Berkshire County.

            In January of 2009, Co-Act held the first collaborative meeting of managers and directors of these local meal sites.  There they discovered common needs and issues such as a lack of fresh produce and protein.  It was also revealed that a deeper issue was at the root of this dilemma.  It was not the shortage of food, infrastructure, willing personnel, or even creativity. Instead, the root issue had to do with “systems”; the solution required collaboration and new networks of access and distribution.  As a result, five abundant avenues of local food access were identified.

• Community Gardens.  Project Sprout in Great Barrington and the Westside Farm Project in Pittsfield, became the first suppliers to the Food Net who donated nearly 5,000 pounds of fresh organic produce for our 2009 pilot program. In 2010 the gardens have expanded and now provide approximately 300 pounds a week of fresh produce.
• “Second Harvest”.  Local farmers donate the ”unable to be sold” portion of their crop allowing tax deductions for any participation. Volunteers are available if needed to harvest from the fields. In July, 2010 the Food Net distributed nearly 2,000 lbs of fresh produce to local meal sites from participating farmers.  
• “Grow an Extra Row”. Home gardens are another avenue to access. Each garden in our 2009 Pilot donated 30 pounds of fresh produce weekly. A schedule of regular pickups is part of the program. To participate, call: 413-232-7888.
• “Buy One, Leave One”.  In our 2009 pilot program that involved grocery stores, the Food Net collected at four locations over a one week period, 1,800 pounds of donated non-perishable food. Another pilot program acquired 2,400 pounds of dry and canned food.
• Restaurants, Resorts, and Grocery Stores.  Three of our pilot program events received generous donations of food from fourteen restaurants and four grocery stores. The program is scheduled for further development this fall.

           This new system of food access is practical and simple. For example, Peace Valley Farm had a bumper crop of squash. They called the Food Net; we picked up 1,300 pounds in July, which went to 16 meal sites and pantries. The farmer also received a tax write off, through the Food Net’s 501-(c) (3). Another farmer participating in Second Harvest describes her experience.           

             “In the past, we used to compost our unsold vegetable starts and crops that were unfit for resale.    We’ve always wanted to reach out to community kitchens and food pantries and Co-Act is now making it possible. It feels so good to know that people in need are able to eat fresh produce and plant community gardens thanks to the collaboration between our farm and the Food Net. ”  — Jen Salinetti,  Woven Roots Farm, Lee, MA.

            Woven Roots donated close to 200 vegetable starters that went to Westside Farm Project, who then distributed the extra plants to the Westside neighborhood of Pittsfield, predominately a low income area. Several households are now enjoying the benefits of tending new or expanded gardens in their yards.                 

            The Westside Farm Project is a prime example of utilizing vacant lots of land for education, community building, and growing nutritious food for those in need. They have been contributing nearly 200 lbs of fresh produce a week.    

            “There are so many access issues here, on so many levels.  The Westside Farm Project is a response that is hopefully making a difference.  Thanks to Berkshire Co-Act Food Net, we’ve been able to distribute the bounty around the neighborhood.  This is a vital service!”  — Becky Rushford, Manager Westside Farm Project 

     From the growers to the cooks who prepare the food at the meal sites, this new system is having an impact.

            “At St. Stephen’s table we have had the good fortune to be provided with locally grown organic produce through the Co-Act Food Net. St. Stephens table provides meals Thursday and Friday at 5:15 p.m. to anyone in the community who feels they need a meal. We are located near Park Square in Pittsfield and we serve 60 to 100 people each night.

            One of the challenging items to come by as a donation is fresh produce. Co-act has filled that void. The Food Net has provided us with fresh herbs, Swiss Chard, Organic Lettuce, Cabbage, Cucumbers, Fresh Beets and many other wonderful offerings. We received up to 190 pounds of vegetables every week. Thank you to Co-Act Food Net and for your hard work it is greatly appreciated by many”. — Dan Moon, St. Stephen’s Table, Coordinator                                                                     

            The Co-Act Food Net is a grassroots system that has rewired food access to our community meal sites. We are making progress toward our goal of ending hunger and improving nutrition for our region’s food insecure population. Last week’s delivery was a record 940 pounds of fresh organic produce to local meal sites.

            With your support, we can make a difference. Want more information or sign up to be on our Grow an Extra Row route?  Please call 413-232-7888, email paul@co-act.org, or visit our web site www.Co-Act.org

Five Avenues of Local Nutritious Food for Thirty Three Pantries and Meal Sites

The Berkshire Food Net was developed to support 33 pantries and meal sites in Central and Southern Berkshire County by providing high quality produce and protein through five local avenues. We take a collaborative approach, engaging community volunteers, community gardens, farmers and food related businesses to reduce waste and network available resources using best practices. The result will be a 30% increase in the food assistance supply and provide the majority of highly nutritious food into the system.

Analysis of our local pantries and meal sites began in December of 2008.  Numerous interviews over the phone with managers of these facilities led to the first meeting of its kind in the history of Central and Southern Berkshire on January 23, 2009. These managers shared common concerns and needs, as they saw that escalating demands often left some pantries bare. This collaboration resulted in developing new solutions to resolve food issues in our region through twelve initiatives, which are included in these five avenues.

The Food Net program was launched on April 23, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church in Pittsfield. Speakers included managers from The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Berkshire Community Action Council, Community Health Programs, Westside Farm Project, and Volunteers for Change. The program participants included managers from the thirty three meal sites and pantries serving our region, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Project Hunger, and others.

Since the launch we have successfully developed pilot programs for each of the five food avenues for our region. Each avenue has measurable outcomes.

What are the outputs this program provides?

The following are measures from our pilot programs

• Community Gardens. Community gardens were cropped weekly, and distributed an average of 230 pounds of fresh organic kale, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, cucumbers, beans, and more. This project’s output was very positive, as the Food Net became the main source of nutritious food for two Pittsfield meal sites in our initial program. This abundance came from two gardens, Project Sprout and West Side Farm, and we are looking to expand.
• “Grow an Extra Row”. The home garden pilot was also successful. Each garden in our pilot donated 30 pounds of fresh produce weekly. This program   is ready to be promoted in the community through garden supply stores and other means. A schedule of regular pickups will be part of the program.
• Restaurants, Resorts, and Grocery Stores. Two of our pilot program events received generous donations of food from local residents and fourteen restaurants, one being a Martin Luther King Day food drive, and another at a Community Coalition meeting.  We see a willingness to contribute regularly to the Food Net, however this requires that a sustained system is established, which this proposal addresses.
• “Buy One, Leave One”. In our pilot program for grocery stores, the Food Net collected at four locations over a one week period, 1,800 pounds of donated non-perishable food.
• Local Farmers. Significant contributions are available from local farmers. One is raising cattle for the Food Net, and several others have offered their fields for second harvests. A certified butcher is also offering services. All foods received from this avenue will be recorded.

Another measurable result is community engagement. There are volunteers involved in community gardens, helping with transportation, and marketing. At an event on hunger awareness, held on Martin Luther King Day we registered seventy two volunteers to support the Food Net.  Volunteers are an asset we will utilize in making these five avenues productive in Central and Southern Berkshire County.

Our Goals  

Berkshire Co-Act has models of best practices we are using for each of the five avenues.  Support from Rachel’s Table in Worchester, Project Hunger in North Adams, and others, will help assure our goals are met.

• Eliminate hunger and food scarcity in Central and Southern Berkshires.
• Provide more nutritious food, fresh vegetables and quality protein sources.
• Reduce food wastage by networking food donations from grocery stores, restaurants, and resorts.
• Engage and network the faith and social based communities.
• Develop a volunteer pool for food support.
• Build effective transportation systems and processes to handle growing food collection and distribution needs.
• Develop community gardens with an educational component.
• Support local farmers through CSA purchases, networking and subsidized programs.
• Increase the number of food collection sites.
• Assure at least one social service food facility is open each day.
• Improve accurate tracking of people receiving assistance.
• Help open a central storage center for non-perishable food.