Point32Health Foundation awards $270,000 to three mobile farmers’ markets in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire

CANTON, MA – Point32Health Foundation announced today grants totaling $270,000 to three nonprofit organizations operating mobile farmers’ markets in the region. FEED Center in Bridgeport, Conn., Coastal Foodshed in New Bedford, Mass., and Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS) in Manchester, N.H., each will receive $90,000 over three years. Point32Health Foundation is the result of the combination of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and Tufts Health Plan Foundation.

These grants build on earlier Foundation funding to the FEED Center and ORIS to launch their mobile markets, and to Coastal Foodshed to transition its pilot mobile farmers’ market to a full-scale program. All three mobile markets accept EBT/SNAP benefits and offer incentive programs improving access to fresh, local and healthy food for those experiencing economic uncertainty.

“There is inequitable access to healthy food,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Point32Health Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Point32Health. “The pandemic disproportionately affects communities of color, older adults and people with low incomes. It is critical to make nutritious, affordable food more available to address these equities and make communities work for everyone.”

For those interested in learning more about mobile markets, Point32Health Foundation and the University at Buffalo debuted a new video at the Mobile Market Summit at the University at Buffalo last week. “Lessons from the Field: Bringing a Mobile Farmer’s Market to Your Community” outlines seven crucial steps for starting a mobile market and highlights lessons learned from mobile market operators in New England.

About Point32Health Foundation
Building on values of service and giving, Point32Health Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone. Point32Health Foundation is the result of the combination of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and Tufts Health Plan Foundation and advances equity-focused solutions in healthy aging, access to healthy food and behavioral health in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.