Kids & Family
A Way to Help Somerville Residents Afford Food
An online fundraising campaign organized by the city aims to help Somerville residents in need afford fresh produce.
The city of Somerville is asking for a little help. Rather, it's asking folks to help out other Somerville residents in need.
It runs something called the Mobile Farmers Market. You may have seen it. It's a truck that brings fresh produce to Somerville's two public housing developments and to a senior center.
How it works
Through a grant, the Mobile Farmers Market is able to provide small amounts of matching funds—$10 to $20—to qualified families in need: those who receive SNAP and WIC support, for instance. In this way, families are able to buy, say, $20 worth of fresh produce for $10.
The program has been successful, according to a press release from the city. So successful that the $5,000 grant to provide those small matching funds has been used up.
How you can help
And here's where the city is asking for help. It's trying to raise $3,000 on a website called Citizenvestor in order to continue the fresh-produce program through winter and into next summer.
Some people right here in Somerville could use a little help affording fresh food, and this is a way to lend a hand.
The city needs to raise 100 percent of its $3,000 goal by mid-January. If the goal isn't met, the program will receive no funding through Citizenvestor, according to the press release. It also says the Mobile Farmers Market, realistically, needs about $5,000 to continue the program, so extra donations are welcome.
If you're looking to make a Thanksgiving donation that has a tangible local impact, this could be an option for you.
Visit the Citizenvestor site here.
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