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Food Is Medicine Program Announces Mini-grants Aimed at Strengthening Food Security in Western Massachusetts

Community groups working to address hunger are invited to apply

December 17, 2024 Research

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Dean Anna Maria Siega-Riz
Dean Anna Maria Siega-Riz

The Food Is Medicine program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is inviting community partners to apply for mini-grants to help them tackle hunger and strengthen food security in Western Massachusetts. 

“Hunger and food security are critical issues affecting many families in our communities,” says nutritional epidemiologist Anna Maria Siega-Riz, professor and dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, who is leading the multidisciplinary effort at UMass Amherst. “As highlighted by the national Food is Medicine initiative, access to nutritious food is vital for physical and mental health, as well as overall well-being.”

The mini-grants of $500-$1,000 will be awarded to community groups in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties to support such activities as urban garden training, meal planning and cooking skill events, as well as collaborations among farmers, grocery stores and organizations to create a sustainable food network.

A drop-in question-and-answer session about the mini-grants will be held via Zoom on Thursday, Dec. 19, for community groups interested in applying. Interested applicants can download the mini-grant application form here. 

The mini-grants are being funded by proceeds from the inaugural UMass Healthcare Culinary Conference: Bridging Healthcare, Food and Community, held earlier this year. Th mini-grants initiative grew out of a collaboration among Food is Medicine representatives from the SPHHS, the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, the Department of Food Science and UMass Dining Services who sought to identify opportunities to support community partners addressing food security.

“By working together, we can create new partnerships that support better health for our communities,” Siega-Riz says. 

To receive the Zoom link for the Thursday Q and A session, contact Patty Shillington at: pshillington [at] umass [dot] edu (pshillington[at]umass[dot]edu).

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