Grant Awards Will Be Up to $25,000 Per Year; Available to 25 Volunteer-Powered Food Access Programs in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire
WELLESLEY, MA -- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has announced its 2019 Healthy Food Fund Grant Guidelines and RFP. The Foundation is looking to support 25 local nonprofit organizations located in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire that are primarily volunteer-powered to grow, glean or distribute fresh, free produce to low-income families and older adults. Grant awards will be up to $25,000 per year and are eligible for renewal for up to three years. A total of $625,000 will be awarded throughout the region in 2019.
"By mobilizing the energy of local and corporate volunteers to grow, glean and distribute healthy produce for low-income families across our region, we want to create a movement of “neighbors feeding neighbors” and expand the number of citizens advocating for fresh, local, healthy food equity,” said Michael Devlin, Director of Grants & Initiatives for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. “The selected organizations will use the funds to expand, train, equip, manage and strengthen their volunteer corps.”
Since 2016, 25 organizations funded by Harvard Pilgrim’s Healthy Food Fund were able to increase their distribution of local produce by 116% to nearly 1.8 million pounds of fresh produce.
“Given the increased risk of food insecurity for low-income families and for older adults across the region, we plan to support volunteer-powered food access programs that prioritize people in rural, low-income, and/or communities of color,” added Devlin.
Applicant organizations must be not-for-profit 501 (C) (3) that use volunteers as the primary staff for growing, gleaning, or distributing fresh food for low-income families. Eligible programs must use volunteers as their primary operations staff for the funded activities. Organizations must be located and serve customers in one or more of the following states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
A conference call for prospective grantees will be held on October 15, 2018 from 10:00 – 10:45 am. Proposals are due on Friday, November 9, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.
For more information and to access the application, click here
About The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation
Created in 1980, The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation supports Harvard Pilgrim's mission to improve the health of the people it serves and the health of society. The Harvard Pilgrim Foundation provides the tools, training and leadership to help build healthy communities throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit www.harvardpilgrim.org/foundation.
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Contact:
Kimberly (Moore) Winn
Senior Communications Specialist
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
kimberly_winn@harvardpilgrim.org
603-315-4426
Website: www.harvardpilgrim.org