Food Connects

Food Connects Is Celebrating Ten Years of Healthy Families, Thriving Farms, and Connected Communities!

In 2023, Food Connects is celebrating ten years of serving families, farms, and communities in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

Food Connects Is Celebrating Ten Years of Healthy Families, Thriving Farms, and Connected Communities! In 2023, Food Connects is celebrating ten years of serving families, farms, and communities in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massach

2021 Monadnock Region Food Access Analysis Report Published

2021 Monadnock Region Food Access Report:

A Comprehensive Gaps and Asset Analysis in Children's and Families' Food Security Programs in the Monadnock Region

The Monadnock Region Food Access Analysis (MRFAA) was conducted by SW Region Planning Commission during the spring of 2021 on behalf of the Monadnock Children’s Food Access Alliance (MCFAA), led by the Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition (MFCC). 

The MCFAA is a diverse network of partners committed to improving the overall health of children and families in the Monadnock Region through increasing access to affordable, healthy food. Partners include: farm service organizations, extension educators, food pantry managers, public health representatives, food policy experts, and educators.

"We knew prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that food security and access programs in our region were underused," says Roe-Ann Tasoulas, MCFAA coordinator. "The pandemic accelerated the need for a gap and asset analysis of all food access programs, and to connect directly with individuals and families experiencing food insecurity to better increase opportunities to access affordable, healthy food and participation in programs.

The County of Cheshire worked with the MCFAA to submit a grant proposal to the NH Children's Health Foundation to implement a food access analysis in Fall 2020. The grant was awarded and the SW Region Planning Commission was chosen to implement the analysis. The MRFAA is the resulting report.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to identify and analyze the prevalence of household food insecurity. Over 196 participants were interviewed or surveyed to gather relevant data. Food access points, programs, and services, and the connection between them were mapped, and food system models and best practices were included in the report.

Several findings include:

  • Childhood food insecurity rates in Cheshire and Sullivan counties are higher than the state average

  • Lower-income food insecure people who are not eligible for SNAP have difficulty buying food

  • Lack of transportation, specifically, lack of a car, is the number two risk factor for food insecurity. The towns of Keene, Peterborough, Alstead, Sullivan, and Swanzey have the highest percentages of households without vehicles

“The food access analysis revealed that poverty is far and away the number one predictor of food insecurity for children and families" states Terry Johnson, SW Region Planning Commission. "Prior to the pandemic, 40% of food-insecure children living in poverty in Cheshire County didn’t qualify for federal food assistance because they didn’t meet the eligibility requirements".

The MCFAA will use report findings to develop a 2022-2023 Food Access Plan that addresses key findings and identified gaps in programs and services. "With both poverty and food insecurity rates increasing during the pandemic, creative solutions are needed more than ever," continues Johnson.

To receive a copy of the MRFAA report, email coordinator@mfccoalition.org

The public is invited to attend "2021 Monadnock Region Food Access Report Virtual Community Forum" on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Participants will become familiar with the key findings from the MRFAA report, hear feedback from individuals experiencing food insecurity, and provide input on projects that best address gaps for 2022-2023 implementation.

To register for the Community Forum, go to: http://monfoodaccessforum.eventbrite.com. To register by phone, call (603)852-3198. Following the forum, a recording of the keynote speaker will be uploaded to: http://mfcommunitycoalition.org

Funding for the MRFAA report was provided by the New Hampshire Children's Health Foundation.

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The Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition is a coalition of 140 member organizations who come together regularly to build a sustainable local food system by cultivating community action and building collaboration to implement effective programs, projects, and policies.

Southwest Region Planning Commission works in partnership with the communities of the Southwest Region to promote sound decision-making for the conservation and effective management of natural, cultural and economic resources.

County of Cheshire covers 22 towns and one city in southwestern New Hampshire. We strive to be an innovative and progressive leader in providing cost effective county services required by statute.

NH Children's Health Foundation mission is to improve the health and wellness of New Hampshire’s population, with a focus on its most vulnerable children.

Meet Our Development Director—Lissa Harris

Food Connects is excited to welcome Lissa Harris to their Development team as their new Development Director. This new position will strengthen Food Connects’ fundraising efforts, create and execute the organization's Annual Development Plan and Capital Campaigns, and support the organization’s continued growth.

Lissa officially joined the team in July after previously working with the Food Connects team on various projects throughout early 2021. Before joining the Food Connects, Lissa held positions at Strolling of the Heifers and Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, responsible for marketing, fundraising, and more.

We are thrilled to have her on the team and are excited to share more about her!

What sparked your interest in Food Connects and why are you excited to be here?

I had a chance to work with Food Connects on some community projects earlier this year. I realized very quickly that Food Connects is primed to be a leader in the establishment of a new food system that relies less on mass production and more on added value to our community. The organization is collaborative by nature. One of the reasons I moved here from New York was the access to farm-fresh food and a culture that values healthy eating and a focus on earth-affirming growing practices. Food tastes better when it doesn't have to travel across continents to get to our local supermarkets. There are so many great farms here, I feel very lucky!

What do you see for the future of FC and what you will do here? What are your hopes/dreams for this position?

Food Connects is really poised to be at the center of a different kind of food system, one that doesn't rely on large corporations like Sysco or Tyson. Going to my favorite restaurant and knowing that some of the ingredients they cook with are grown right here in Vermont or New Hampshire makes all the difference. I want to use my experience in development and fundraising to make sure Food Connects has the capital it needs to grow and expand its markets so more people have access to healthy, nutritious food.

How will your previous non-profit experience impact your work at Food Connects?

Non-profit work is full of passion for the mission and I'll use that drive to create enthusiasm for the work that Food Connects does. I've worked for both locally and nationally based non-profits throughout my career. I can take some of the skills I've learned working for organizations like the American Cancer Society and apply a local focus.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Before anything, I'm a mom, so the question should be how do you spend your time outside of being a mom! Both my kids are still in school and need me, which I love. But I'm raising them to not need me, that's the point I guess. I'm also raising them to love horror movies as much as I do.

What is your favorite or least favorite food?

Seafood! I grew up on Long Island, in a small beach town, so summertime was lobster time! My brother-in-law is a clammer so having fresh clams on the half shell was such a treat. I've been to more clam bakes than I can count! When we go back to NY to visit family I make sure I go to my favorite seafood restaurants.

Do you have a hidden talent? What is it?

I've been playing piano since I was 4 years old. I'm classically trained, which is a shame because I love playing pop music from all decades. I'm also a mediocre drummer and I can play a little ukulele too. I come from a long line of musicians and music lovers.

If I handed you a plane ticket right now to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I would probably go to Italy, specifically Sclafani, which is a town near Palermo in Sicily. That's where my grandfather's family was from and there is a street named after the family, Via Varca!.

July 2021 Quarterly Newsletter

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July 2021 Quarterly Newsletter

2020 Annual Report

Sustaining Donor Challenge

Farm to School Reflections

New England Cheese Hits the Road

Employee Giving Success

Round up For Food Connects

The Monadnock Restaurant Project Receives Praise

2020 Food Connects Annual Report

Hot off the presses: Food Connects 2020 Annual Report!

2020 was a strange year for everyone. And despite the uncertainties and challenges we faced, Food Connects has much to celebrate—from new initiatives and partnerships to innovative Farm to School programming and record Food Hub sales growth. We are so grateful to our community for your continued support for Food Connects and our local food economy.

Food Connects Employees Support SUSU commUNITY Farm

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In January of 2021, Food Connects launched its first employee charitable giving initiative. After a round of nominations and voting, our staff chose SUSU commUNITY Farm to be the beneficiary of this initiative. 13 of our employees participated in this new giving program, totaling $1,222.00 for SUSU. Our team is inspired by SUSU’s grassroots, local efforts to address food and racial justice in our community. And we are excited to continue working with them, as both of our organizations grow.

SUSU commUNITY Farm is a Black and Indigenous stewarded farm in Southern Vermont. They offer life-affirming spaces for Black, Indigenous, People of color to thrive and experience safety while healing from the intergenerational trauma of systemic oppression. They are committed to bringing multiracial commUNITY together to build sustainable relationships based in reciprocity. They do this by supporting our people in connecting back to their traditional lineages and foodways, being guided by the wisdom of our ancestors, centering global majority-led and peer-supported culturally relevant programming, and building a statewide culture of liberation in Vermont.

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Meet Our New Development Manager—Vickie Case

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Food Connects is excited to welcome Vickie Case to the team as our Development Manager. In this new position—which was separated apart from our marketing work—Vickie will connect the organization to more community members, businesses, and organizations throughout the region and strengthen its annual fund program.

Vickie joined the Food Connects team in early February and previously worked at Retreat Farm. She is excited to help grow and fortify both Food Connects Farm to School and Food Hub programs and we are thrilled to have her on the team.

What interested you most about Food Connects and why are you excited to start working here?

My interest in Food Connects stemmed from hearing about the Farm to School Program and its impact on kids and school staff throughout the county and strengthened by the Food Hub while supporting local farms and farmers bringing healthy nutritious choices to the school lunch programs.

Why is the local food movement important to you?

The local food movement has been important to me for many years. I’ve been an active member of the Hunger Council and volunteering to cook meals for the Overflow Shelter, committing to purchasing only food grown and raised locally.

What do you see for the future of FC and what you will do here? What are your hopes/dreams for this position?

My hopes and dreams for Food Connects are that it continues to grow and directly impact our communities by raising awareness of the importance of supporting and sustaining our local food systems. As Development Manager, I see it as my responsibility and mission to help businesses understand FC and how they can help support its efforts.

How will your work experience and community connections help Food Connects grow?

Having been a teacher for most of my adult life, combined with community service and jobs that required me to reach out to businesses and town leaders my position at Food Connects seems like a perfect fit. Helping to subsidize the Farm to School Program by engaging local businesses supporting the schools in their towns seems like an excellent place to start. Ultimately, the goal is to establish a Business Leadership Council made up of businesses interested in setting the pace for other businesses to get involved by raising awareness of the importance of supporting local farms while encouraging healthy eating habits in both children and adults.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Outside of work, I spend my time relaxing at home, helping my husband in the garden, and having friends over for dinner.

What is your favorite or least favorite food?

Since purchasing an air fryer, any and all food that fits in an air fryer has become my favorite food! My least favorite food is anything that does not fit in an air fryer!!

If you could be any supernatural creature, what would you be and why?

I’d be a Jackalope. Since a Jackalope is 80 percent rabbit and a rabbit’s personalities are highly intelligent, social, and affectionate. They can also present a little attitude when trying to get their way. Since I’m also a big consumer of salads, this too is a good match! The Jackalope also has horns that are at the ready in moments when self-defense is necessary.

If you were famous what would you be famous for?

If I were famous, I would be a motivational speaker and self-help guru, helping people achieve their highest potential.

April 2021 Quarterly Newsletter

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April 2021 Quarterly Newsletter

Strategic Planning

Sprouting in the Classroom

20 New Producers from 2020

Vermont Food Ways

Monadnock Restaurant Project

VT Harvest of the Month

Food Connects’ Strategic Planning Process

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Food Connects is engaging in a strategic planning process with consultant Claire Wheeler. Claire helped write the organization’s current Strategic Plan, which is due to expire in June this year.

In light of our rapid growth and uncertainty with COVID-19, we are focused more on “planning” and less on having a “plan.” This planning includes building our internal capacity to engage in strategic thinking while focusing on a shorter 12-18 month timeframe. How do you plan beyond that time frame with all the changes and uncertainties?

We have also had a lot of catch-up work on internal conversations and systems due to doubling revenue during a pandemic! Additionally, some changes in the external environment (understatement of the year?) have caused us to slow down and think strategically about what Food Connects should or should not do. We are excited to be a part of several new initiatives with a wide range of partners and a lot of potential impact. Its been a fun challenge discussing how to continue growing while adapting to changes sustainably. 

Of course, doing this virtually has its pros and cons. We hope to have an organizational-wide gathering (including staff, board, and food!) during the summer as a culmination of our work. Who knows, maybe we will all be vaccinated? We added several new staff and many of us don’t know what each other looks like without a mask!

Throughout the planning, it’s clear that our work is valuable and relevant to a wide variety of stakeholders in schools, fields, and throughout the community. We need to continue growing and maturing as an organization to be prepared to take on the increasing challenges and opportunities that are to come. We are all grateful to have such meaningful work during such challenging times. And we are thankful for all our stakeholders, from donors to farmers and farm workers to teachers and the school cafeteria staff.

Phase Two of the Monadnock Restaurant Project Launching Soon

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KEENE, NH - In early February, The Local Crowd Monadnock, Culinary Journeys, and Food Connects partnered to launch the Monadnock Restaurant Project, a homegrown stimulus program to help give the local restaurant economy the shot in the arm it needs to get through this winter.

According to the National Restaurant Association, more than 69,500 individuals worked in restaurant and foodservice jobs in New Hampshire before the pandemic—representing 10% of the state’s total employment. However, more than 200 NH restaurants have permanently closed since last March. The Monadnock Restaurant Project looks to inspire community support for local restaurant owners and their employees to keep these businesses open, and their staff retained.

In one month, the project dispersed over 600 gift cards from 25 local restaurants to employers, including C&S Wholesale Grocers, Nanotech, and Savings Bank of Walpole. These businesses shared these gift cards with their staff and asked them to spend the cards quickly, providing an immediate shot in the arm to Keene's local economy this winter. The Keene Sentinel and Monadnock Broadcasting Group also distributed gift cards to community members through contests and giveaways.

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Organizers are fundraising for the project through The Local Crowd Monadnock's community-based crowdfunding program. Currently, they have raised 82% of their overall goal of $30,000. Culinary Journey's contributed $10,000 to start this project, and eighty-two community supporters have donated an additional $14,500. This crowdfunding campaign continues through March: give.communityfunded.com/o/tlcmonadnock/i/tlc/s/stimulus.

The funds raised will be used to purchase a second round of gift cards from local restaurants and food businesses in the Keene area, businesses not included in phase one of the project.

The project also aspires to inspire others to pay it forward to support the local restaurant economy. Businesses such as The Richards Group, Historical Society of Cheshire County, and Northern Lights Cheerleading have launched their own efforts to support the Monadnock Restaurant Project movement.

“These cards are not gifts but a call to action,” said Luca Paris, owner of Luca's Mediterranean Café. “We anticipate that community members will spend at least twice the amount of what their gift card is worth, doubling the project’s impact by infusing $60,000 to these cash-strapped businesses. The more we spend locally, the more dollars we reinvest in our local economy!”

Learn more about the Monadnock Restaurant Project at tlcmonadnock.com/stimulus.

The Local Crowd Monadnock

The Local Crowd Monadnock is a community-based crowdfunding program helping start-up ventures, early-growth stage companies, and community-focused projects find access to capital. Since TLC Monadnock launched in March 2017, twenty-six crowdfunding campaigns have collectively raised over $230,000 from 1,990 supporters: tlcmonadnock.com.

Culinary Journeys

Culinary Journeys offers scholarships to culinary arts students from the Cheshire Career Center at Keene High School. Learn more on their Facebook Page.

Food Connects

Food Connects is an entrepreneurial non-profit that delivers locally produced food as well as educational and consulting services aimed at transforming local food systems. The Food Hub aggregates and delivers from over 115 local farms and food producers to over 195 buyers in southeast Vermont, southwest New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. Their educational services focus Farm to School programming. Acknowledged as a statewide leader, the program supports over 30 schools to increase local food purchasing, school meal participation, and food, farm, and nutrition education. Together these core programs contribute to a vibrant local economy by increasing local food purchases by schools and improving students’ nutrition and academic performance. Additionally, Food Connects is frequently hired to provide leadership and consulting services for efforts aimed at transforming local food systems in the New England region: foodconnects.org.

Restaurants to Receive Homegrown Stimulus Program this Winter

Eat, Drink and Build Community

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KEENE, NH - The Local Crowd Monadnock, Culinary Journeys, and Food Connects will partner to launch The Monadnock Restaurant Project, a homegrown stimulus effort. On February 3, 2021, from 12 p.m - 12:30 p.m., organizers will hold a press conference to introduce this project and answer questions. To receive a link, please register here.

Missed the press conference? View it here!

This project will invest $10,000 and purchase gift cards from participating locally-owned restaurants. Organizers plan to strategically disperse these gift cards to community members who will spend these cards quickly, providing an immediate shot in the arm to Keene's local economy this winter.

"It could be a really rough few months for our fellow restaurateurs and if we don't do something soon, we could lose some of the businesses on the edge," said Luca Paris, owner of Luca's Mediterranean Café. "We can’t wait for someone else to help us. Eat, drink and build community! Let's do this as a community—quickly and safely."

Organizers anticipate that community members will spend twice the amount of their gift cards when redeemed, doubling the impact of this project by infusing $20,000 to these cash-strapped businesses.

According to the Monadnock Indie Impact Study, locally-owned retailers return 62.4% of their revenue to the local economy, while national chain retailers return just 13.6% of revenue—meaning that locally owned businesses return over 4x more money to the local economy compared to chain retailers. Dispersing $10,000 in gift cards will lead to at least $40,000 in economic activity, an immediate stimulus that can be replicated in other parts of the region.

Learn more at tlcmonadnock.com/stimulus.

The Local Crowd Monadnock

The Local Crowd Monadnock is a community-based crowdfunding program helping start-up ventures, early-growth stage companies and community-focused projects find access to capital. Since TLC Monadnock launched in March 2017, twenty-six crowdfunding campaigns have collectively raised over $230,000 from 1,990 supporters: tlcmonadnock.com.

Culinary Journeys

Culinary Journeys offers scholarships to culinary students from the Cheshire Career Center at Keene High School. 

Food Connects 

Food Connects is an entrepreneurial non-profit that delivers locally produced food as well as educational and consulting services aimed at transforming local food systems. The Food Hub aggregates and delivers from over 115 local farms and food producers to over 195 buyers in southeast Vermont, southwest New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. Their educational services focus Farm to School programming. Acknowledged as a statewide leader, the program supports over 30 schools to increase local food purchasing, school meal participation, and food, farm, and nutrition education. Together these core programs contribute to a vibrant local economy by increasing local food purchases by schools and improving students’ nutrition and academic performance. Additionally, Food Connects is frequently hired to provide leadership and consulting services for efforts aimed at transforming local food systems in the New England region. 


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Keeping Our Families Fed

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Farm to School Cafe and Food Connects Feed Families Throughout the Holiday Season

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Families in the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) received three free food boxes over the holiday break thanks to the tireless efforts of the Farm to School Cafe staff and farmers throughout the region. The food boxes contained a week’s worth of bulk meal ingredients for breakfast and lunch to help stretch families’ grocery budgets and keep students nourished over the long break. The Farm to School Cafe reached out to Food Connects to fill those boxes as much as possible with high-quality foods from local producers, including fresh NH-made bread, VT cheese and produce, and fresh fruit. 

Thanks to numerous USDA waivers in response to COVID-19, universal free meals have been in effect nationwide since last March and schools have been operating under the Summer Food Service Program—which provides higher reimbursement rates per meal for schools. These two changes combined translate to easy to access meals for all students and a reliable revenue stream for school nutrition programs. The holiday food boxes extended that support through the break, all students qualified for this program—each family simply filled out a form for each student so the Farm to School Cafe team knew how much food to order.

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“We were inspired by the Burlington School Food Project who blazed the trail on these meal kits,” says Harley Sterling, School Nutrition Director for the WNESU. “And grateful to the Vermont Agency of Education who has been incredibly supportive in developing this program.”

“Many students rely on school meal programs for both nutritious breakfasts and lunches each day during school,” says Conor Floyd, Food Connects Farm to School Program Manager. “When school is not in session, however, a gap in access to nutritious and filling food appears. Programs like the holiday food boxes allow all students in the supervisory union to have the same access to meals throughout school breaks, no matter their family’s income level.” 

With increased meal flexibility as a result of the USDA waivers mentioned above, school nutrition programs have piloted new programs, including sending bulk ingredients home with students over extended breaks. These pilots often involve quick turnaround times and last-minute requests. Food Connects’ short supply chain and strong relationships with its producers helped the Farm to School Cafe access source-identified products from VT, NH, and MA on short notice.

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"We're just thrilled that these universal meals programs allowed us to give kids and families in our community a little boost, especially this time of year,” says Sterling. “Making sure every kid has access to the great food grown and made in our area has always been our goal, and Food Connects makes it easy by letting us know what products are available and bringing them right to our kitchens."  

With less than two weeks between the initial phone call from Sterling and the first delivery, the newly expanded Food Hub team sprang into action. The Food Connects Sales and Procurement Teams worked with Harley to brainstorm and source a variety of food products that: 

  • families would eat but also inspire fun and new cooking ideas, 

  • fell within the required price range, 

  • were kid-friendly and easy for parents to cook, and

  • were hyper-local—the farthest items traveled only 87 miles while 7 of the 10 farms that provided food are located within 25 miles of Bellows Falls Union High School.

Once the orders were placed, the Food Connects Operations Team activated their network of dedicated drivers and expanded delivery fleet to pick up and deliver these orders—all while navigating their regular order and sales cycle to customers and capping off a record-breaking year in sales with Food Connects’ largest pre-Christmas delivery weeks ever. Although the Food Hub was closed for regular sales during the week of Christmas, the Food Hub staff generously volunteered to pick up extra shifts to ensure the orders made it to Bellows Falls Union High School in time for the Holiday Meal box distribution. 

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As the Farm to Cafe team kept families fed throughout the holiday season, they also bolstered the local food economy—buying food from 10 Food Connects farms and food producers: Basin Farm, Champlain Orchards, Dutton Berry Farm, Grafton Village Cheese, Green Mountain Orchards, Harlow Farm, Mi Tierra Tortillas, The Bread Shed, Valley Veg, and Yalla Vermont. Over $19,000 was spent at these local food businesses. “This is money that is going straight back into the community,” says McKenna Hayes, Food Connects Food Hub Co-Director, “being paid out to area producers and distribution staff, who in turn use those funds at other local businesses.”

So what did families actually receive? 2,100 pounds of potatoes, 852 quarts of yogurt, about 6,000 apples, 600 pints of cider, 180 bunches of kale, 1,100 loaves of bread, 600 bags of frozen blueberries, 1,416 pounds of carrots, 300 tubs of hummus, 400 blocks of cheese, and 300 tortilla packets.

Every box contained food as well as ideas for how to use it—providing students and families with educational tools to make easy, wholesome meals. “We sent out little educational activity sheets with simple recipes that anyone can do with just water and a microwave,” says Sterling. “From kale chips and cheese ("Mayan sandwich") quesadillas to baked potatoes and English muffin pizzas.”

“This is a great example of how our organization can collaboratively problem-solve to help our community,” says Hayes. “Harley relied on his partnership with our Farm to School and Food Hub teams and we leveraged our community-based networks and short supply chains to respond to the request quickly. It truly shows the successful ability to pivot school lunch services in the COVID-19 era.”

2020‌ ‌Reflections‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌Executive‌ ‌Director‌

Wow! What a year behind us, and who knows what is in store for 2021. What we do know at Food Connects is that we are all grateful to have jobs and meaningful work and that our community needs us more than ever during this pandemic and with the disruption to the food system.

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We are excited to share and celebrate with the community that we nearly doubled revenue in 2020, including $1 million of local food sales! That means more dollars in the hands of farmers in our communities in VT, NH, and MA and more dollars recirculating back into the local economy. We extend our deepest thanks to our farmers, food producers, wholesale customers, and our community for their widespread support! 

I am so grateful to the Food Connects team, which grew from 12 employees at the start of 2020 to 21 employees! I am so impressed with both the current staff in how they onboarded and trained the new team while doing their jobs, as well as the new team in adapting and getting up to speed quickly during the challenging times of COVID-19.

We continue to push hard on using our aggregation and distribution Food Hub to transform the regional food system. During the winter months, we are looking forward to bringing in source-identified food from real farms that may not fit everyone’s definition of local. What might be considered provocative, we see value in supporting local farms and supply chains that share our values of transparency, caring for the environment and people. Many of us are asking ourselves, “Would you rather eat broccoli from a family farm in North Carolina or a corporate farm in California?” and many of us are answering the former. Now it’s our job to figure out the logistics of making that happen and how that fits into our work ahead! 

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We continue to play a leadership role in strengthening the entire food system, knowing that a larger effort is needed outside of our current programming. Our strong, sector-spanning relationships have proved crucial to the success of many of these conversations, and our ability to connect schools, farms, local businesses, and charitable food organizations has been a keystone in the region’s response to COVID-19. Programs we were involved with sprung up quickly; ranging from small, focused efforts such as the Weekend Food Boxes, to statewide initiatives like Everyone Eats! which first piloted in Brattleboro. As we head into the new year, reflection and thoughtful planning is a priority. We plan to convene a community dialogue, providing the space to breathe and think collectively about how to capitalize on and improve the new partnerships and systems which have sprung up over the past year. 

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Our Farm to School program has developed a larger emphasis on food security in response to the pandemic, while still ensuring that robust farm, food, and nutrition education is supported in our schools. In the spring, we focused on ensuring gardens were planted and fully utilized as a refuge for families and students. This fall, we worked closely with administrators and food service directors applying for Coronavirus Relief Funding, maximizing the resources our local schools received.

This all of this means is that we are starting off 2021 with a bang and a clear focus on doing more of what is important towards our vision of Healthy Families, Thriving Farms, and Connected Communities.

- Richard Berkfield, Executive Director

Taste of Food Connects Builds Community

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Food Connects successfully wrapped up our 2020 Taste of Food Connects initiative in late November—raising over $6,000 for the organization and promoting 75 different local businesses in the Brattleboro and Keene regions.

The Taste of Food Connects was a two-part event—a Silent Auction to raise money for Food Connects Annual Fund and a Local Passport to encourage community members to shop locally and support small, local businesses. “We are so grateful to all the individuals and businesses that participated in this event,” says Richard Berkfield, Food Connects Executive Director. “We are working hard to strengthen our community ties and fortify a resilient local economy. It is truly humbling to see so many people from both sides of the river, coming together and supporting our efforts to build community during these challenging times.”

The Silent Auction, along with donations from individuals and local businesses raised $6,036 for the organization, well over the goal of $5,000. These funds will support Food Connects Farm to School and Food Hub programs, and our mission to build Healthy Families, Thriving Farms, and Connected Communities. Over 75 local businesses and artisans donated auction items to help raise these funds. “Thank you to each and every donor who made this event possible,” says Laura Carbonneau, Food Connects Marketing Manager. “We couldn’t do our vital work without the support from our community members. And a special thank you to Vivace Realty LLC, Tito’s Taqueria, and Ganio Land Management for sponsoring our programming.”

The Local Passport was a point of pride for the organization—generating excitement and business as local shoppers supported restaurants, groceries, and other locally-owned stores. 23 different local businesses in the region participated, as customers purchased local products all vying to win the top prize of $1,000! In the end, nine local community members won $1,850 in cash and gift certificates to spend locally this holiday season. “We’d also like to thank our prize sponsors, Vivace Realty LLC, the Monadnock Food Co-op, Green Energy Options, Yahso Jamaican Grille, and Brown & Roberts for their generous donations and help to make our event a huge success,” says Carbonneau.

“Our goal was to bring together community members in a fun and unique way to bolster our local economy,” says Berkfield. “It was inspiring to see how we were able to build bridges and celebrate local—an encouraging sign for the year to come.”

If you are interested in supporting Food Connects and their work or to become involved in future initiatives, head to www.foodconnects.org/donate or email development@foodconnects.org.

Monadnock Children’s Food Access Alliance wins grant to assemble a food access plan”

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Keene, NH – New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation awards the County of Cheshire a $20,000 grant to fiscal sponsor a project with Monadnock Farm and Community Coalition (MFCC) and Healthy Monadnock, who will form the Monadnock Children’s Food Access Alliance. The Alliance will regularly assemble during 2021 to work towards a long term goal to improve the overall health of children in the Monadnock region.

The Alliance’s key objective is to identify opportunities for children and families to access affordable healthy food and increase participation in programs. This will be accomplished by conducting a comprehensive analysis of assets and gaps in present children’s food security programs, coordinating existing services and programs to increase program efficiencies, convening stakeholders (e.g., focus groups, listening sessions) to examine data and information, co-designing a plan with community members to fill identified gaps in programs and services, and enabling community members to access existing programs. Success of this project will mean that children in the Monadnock region have excellent health and easy access to nutritious food, regardless of their economic or family status.

The intent of this project is to help leaders design effective programs. Presently, food security and access programs in the Monadnock region are underused and little data exists as to why that is or if vulnerable people know about resources and assistance available. Numerous anecdotes in the region from school professionals and medical providers reference families cutting back or going into debt to feed their kids. Yet programs like SNAP, Granite State Market Match, and EBT benefits are underutilized. The region's food access providers and public health officials will be better positioned to help these people if they had more information about the people who need services and their barriers to accessing those services.

MFCC is the ideal organization to lead efforts to closely examine the local food system because it works with about 140 members to cultivate community action, connect people to resources, and foster relationships that benefit local farmers and public health. According to Roe-Ann Tasoulas, MFCC director, “Three of the Coalition’s goals tie directly into this effort: increase food production and consumption in the region, and provide resources and encourage advocacy for an equitable food system. Our members are passionate about healthy food and making it available to all Monadnock residents.”

Healthy Monadnock and Cheshire Medical Center’s Center for Population Health will support the Coalition’s efforts and provide technical assistance, network connections, and use of the Healthy Monadnock brand. It provides education and advocacy, oversight for public health projects, and supports the implementation of the Community Health Improvement Plan. Cheshire County government will provide fiscal sponsorship, and will manage the contractual aspect of the grant award and its subcontracts.

“Being a part of bring this project to fruition is what our work is all about,” says Tricia Zahn, Center for Population Health and MFCC board member. “It is energizing to know so many people in the Monadnock Region are passionate about food access improvements and to have our project ideas validated by an external competitive funder is no small feat.”

Funding for this project was made possible by the New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation through a competitive application program for reducing food insecurity in children and families by increasing access to affordable healthy food.

The Alliance seeks stakeholder participation at their meetings and other various stages of the planning project. To sign up or for more information, contact Roe-Ann Tasoulas, MFCC Director at coordinator@mfccoalition.org or 802.271.4191

Radio Interview: We're All in This Together

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Last week our Farm to School Program Manager, Conor, and Marketing Manager, Laura joined Teresa Healy on her “We’re All in This Together” radio segment on WVEW 107.7 FM. They shared about our amazing programs, initiatives like Everyone Eats! Brattleboro and the Taste of Food Connects, and how we can stand together to support our community.

Announcing the Taste of Food Connects

Food Connects will host the first Taste of Food Connects from November 1 to 21. This event brings together over 90 local businesses throughout the Windham County and Monadnock Regions to celebrate our vibrant local economy. This unique event is part Local Passport, benefitting local businesses, and part Silent Auction, supporting Food Connects’ annual fund.

The idea for this event came as a response to COVID-19 putting a damper on Food Connects’ initial fundraising plans for the fall. “Typically we’d bring together a number of local chefs to feature locally grown and produced foods,” says Laura Carbonneau, Food Connects’ Marketing Manager. “That just wasn’t a safe option this year. So we thought: how can we hold a fundraiser for our programming and support local businesses during these challenging times.” And the Taste of Food Connects was born.

So how does it work? From November 1 to 21, shop at any of the 21 participating businesses—when you spend $10 or more you can add a sticker to your passport. After three stickers you can be entered to win one of nine great prizes, including $1,000 to spend at local businesses or however your family needs this holiday season. Multiple passport entries are encouraged. 

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“The team at Food Connects hopes that this program will help encourage community members to shop at local businesses,” says Carbonneau. “We understand how COVID-19 impacted and continues to impact our community partners and we need to continue to fortify and strengthen our local economy. We are stronger together and the community needs us all to shop locally this holiday season.”

The culmination of this program ends with a 5 days virtual silent auction from November 16 to 20 to support Food Connects annual fund. Food Connects, a 501c3 non-profit, continues to grow despite these challenging times. Their Farm to School programming continues to develop unique ways to support schools through COVID-19 and leverage opportunities for increased food security. At the same time, the Food Connects Food Hub continues to grow and be a regional leader in fortifying local food infrastructure. 

“Our goal is to raise $5,000 for our programming,” says Carbonneau. “We strive to create healthy, families, thriving farms, and connected communities—we couldn’t do this work without the generous support of our community and donors. This is a great opportunity to get your holiday shopping done while supporting a great cause. The silent auction features amazing bundles of products and services from local businesses, encourages community members to shop locally, and provides us with the much needed operating revenue. Thank you to all of those who will support us through this auction.”

To learn more about the Taste of Food Connects head to www.foodconnects.org/taste-of-food-connects.