Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Wins 2024 New England Food Vision Prize

CHICOPEE — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts announced that it has been selected as one of the 2024 New England Food Vision Prize winners, an honor awarded by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation. This recognition comes with $124,420 in funding, contributing to the more than $1.2 million awarded to local food projects across the region.

The Food Bank’s award will support a key existing partnership between the Food Bank Farm, Lakeside Organics of Hadley, Atlas Farm, and Springfield Public Schools, designed to increase access to local, organic produce in school cafeterias and educational programs.

The awarded funds will be used to acquire equipment that enables partner farms to expand the production, harvesting, and processing of organic vegetables on the Food Bank Farm. These vegetables will be sold to Springfield Public Schools, providing students with healthy, locally sourced options in their meals. The Springfield Public Schools will promote this partnership through initiatives in the cafeteria, the classroom, and field trips to the Food Bank Farm, immersing students in the story and impact of local food systems.

“We’re proud to deepen our partnership with local farmers and Springfield Public Schools,” said Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. “This initiative not only supports local farms, but also provides Springfield students with nourishing, organic produce grown right here in our community. We’re excited to make the farm-to-school experience a reality for these students and to play a role in building a sustainable food system in Western Massachusetts.”

The New England Food Vision Prize, launched in 2018, supports innovative collaborations that address sourcing challenges and strengthen local food infrastructure. This year’s prize-winning projects were selected from more than 35 initial proposals, with careful evaluation by the Kendall Foundation and a team of reviewers representing diverse sectors within the New England food system, including local food hubs, distributors, school nutrition programs, and community organizations.