What would happen if people came together to create long-term solutions to hunger in their community?

What would these solutions look like?

An exciting new project is happening in western Massachusetts – one that could serve as a model for community-based change for sustainable solutions to the problems of hunger and unequal access to nutritious foods the United States.

The project is Target:Hunger, and it’s taking place in two pilot communities.  Mason Square, Springfield, is our urban pilot community, and our rural community is the seven towns of northern Berkshire County. 

Watch our promo movie introducing the Mason Square Farmers' Market in Springfield!

See more details about our Mason Square Springfield Farmers' Market at our LocalHarvest.org listing.

We are seeking farmers and vendors for our market!

• Farmer & Vendor Registration
• Farmer & Vendor Guidelines

About 25 partners in each community have come together to create and implement plans that will reduce hunger by 10% in four years while increasing food security for everyone in those communities.  The results will be measured by research on hunger rates at the beginning and end of the project.  Partners include social service agencies, farmers, students, communities of faith, people personally affected by food security, government officials, statewide anti-hunger agencies, and concerned citizens.
 

Learn more about Target:Hunger

• Why is this project needed?
• Target:Hunger Community Plans
• Target:Hunger Springfield Resource Guide
• Target:Hunger North Berkshire Resource Guide

For more information about Target:Hunger or to get involved, contact Tasha Moultrie - tasham@foodbankwma.org

 Definitions

Food Security:  A condition in which all people obtain a safe, culturally appropriate, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes community self-reliance and social justice. (Hamm and Bellows)

Hunger:  An involuntary lack of adequate food leading to a painful, uneasy sensation and, if prolonged, physiological changes. 

Food Insecurity (with or without hunger):  Inadequate access to adequate and safe foods that can be obtained in socially acceptable ways. 

Target:Hunger Community Plans

Our Target:Hunger partners in each community have created a four-year plan to achieve our goals.  In the coming years, our projects will:

• Create a directory to connect residents connect with food security resources in their own community
• “Everyone is an outreach worker!” – Create an informed, motivated grassroots “army” of people who can encourage residents to enroll in food stamps and help guide them through the process.  Include clergy, medical personnel, community centers, schools.
• Help community members share and build skills to increase food security – through gardening, cooking, budgeting, and nutrition education.  
• Improve community infrastructure to increase food security by creating transportation links to grocery stores and services, establishing and expanding community gardens, establishing and expanding farmers’ markets, and initiating farm-to-school and farm-to-summer programs (whereby food service programs buy from local farmers).
• Seek to establish enterprise around food and agriculture to enhance food security, such as
  • a certified community kitchen that can serve as a small business incubator, in which community members can produce food products for sale;
  • a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm that provides a portion of its shares at a discount; and
  • opportunities for student and community gardeners to sell their produce and value-added products at local farmers’ markets.
• Engage in advocacy for state, federal and local policies, programs, and infrastructure that support local food security and access to good nutrition for all.

Click below to learn more about the research conducted by Market Street Research, Inc in both Target:Hunger Communities.

Springfield Research

North Berkshire Research