Interfaith Action Teens to Work with Local CSA on Food Insecurity Issues
Over eight percent of Massachusetts households experience some form of food insecurity—the degree to which an individual or family cannot obtain adequate nutritious food for a healthy life. Teens from Interfaith Action’s Youth Leadership Program want to change that equation on a local level, through taking leadership and educating themselves and the community-at-large about the issue.
They have purchased a full share of produce from the local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program sponsored by Mass Audubon’s Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and Ward’s Berry Farm. Each week throughout the summer, the teens are donating part of the share to the Ilse Marks Food Pantry in Stoughton and another to the Abundant Table soup kitchen in Norwood. This project ensures that each organization will have fresh, healthy produce to distribute to people experiencing food insecurity throughout the growing season.
The teens have been developing some exciting programs to raise awareness about these issues. A presentation will be given at Moose Hill Day Camp on Monday, July 26th to a large group of youth that will teach them important nutritional awareness and budgeting skills, as well as increase awareness and understanding about the issue of food insecurity as a whole. Our youth will also submit an article to the Sharon Advocate and take part in a Sharon Community Television show later this summer.
To help support these programs and offset the cost of the full share of produce for the summer, IFA is seeking monetary contributions. If you would like to donate to the cause, please make checks payable to Interfaith Action and mail to P.O. Box 200, Sharon, MA 02067 or online at Network for Good, ifaction.org/donate.
This project is funded in part by Blue Hills Community Health Alliance, Caritas Norwood Hospital, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, South Shore Hospital, and Weymouth MRI.
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