The Community Foundation for Nantucket (CFN) was awarded and has distributed the $1.85M grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the federal CARES Act to prepare for, prevent, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding was specifically earmarked to address food insecurity. 

On Nantucket, 1 in 4 islanders and 1 in 2 school-aged children experience food insecurity. The state identified community foundations as an efficient and effective conduit for the distribution of CARES Act funding to those who are most at risk because foundations have intimate local knowledge of their communities. CFN distributed funds from this grant over the past two years to eligible nonprofits. These non-profits included Nantucket Food, Fuel and Rental Assistance, Fresh Connect, Nantucket Resource Partnership, Our House, Sustainable Nantucket, and the Warming Place. These funds were intended to support new or expanding programs and we are thrilled that the awards helped partner organizations initiate new programs, expand existing initiatives, and transition programs successfully. Read more about these programs below.

Fresh Connect

total non-duplicated individuals served- 800

The Fresh Connect program is a tech-enabled food prescription program that empowers people with the funding and flexibility to buy produce. This program provides clients with the ability to choose from a wide variety of produce items to best fit their family’s needs and preferences, plus the flexibility to shop at a time that is convenient for them. Checkout is seamless. The cardholder presents the Fresh Connect debit card as their first form of payment at checkout and qualified produce is paid for up to the amount available on the card. The client then is alerted to provide another form of payment for the balance of their purchases.

Originally started under Nantucket Resource Partnership (NRP) this program moved to Nantucket Food, Fuel, and Rental Assistance in Sept. 2023. Fresh Connect was immediately available at both Stop & Shop locations on Nantucket. Initially, NRP worked with Fresh Connect to determine if other retailers, farms, and farmer’s markets would be eligible to become vendors providing the added bonus of supporting the local production of quality produce. Unfortunately, no other retailer adopted the Fresh Connect program. The program moved to NFFRA where it benefits both the recipients and the pantry by alleviating part of the pressure on NFFRA to stock and store fresh foods.

Nantucket Resource Partnership

Nourishing Nantucket - total non-duplicated individuals served 284

Nantucket Resource Partnership (NRP) was a brand-new organization in 2021. The Nourishing Nantucket program is a food box program run by Pip & Anchor, and fiscally sponsored by the NRP, that provides fresh, local produce to 80 food-insecure families each week.

Our House

Cornerstone Program - total non-duplicated individuals served 479

A new organization in 2021, Our House and the Cornerstone Program allows high school-aged students to sign-in after school Monday-Friday. Snacks are available as students enter and they have a choice of activities, including but not limited to recreation, music, podcasting, tutoring or homework help. Mentors /coaches are available to work individually with identified students to help them define their goals and determine the pathway to reach those goals.

All members are invited to attend dinner three nights a week and arrive at Our House in time to prepare for the evening meal. Community members are invited to Our House to share in the meal and talk about what they do and the path they followed.

Sustainable Nantucket

Mentor Farmer and Backyard Growers- total non-duplicated individuals served 338

The pandemic brought to light how vulnerable Island residents were since most of the resources, mainly food, must be shipped by boat multiple times a day. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted how Islanders were able to access basic resources.

In 2021 at the time the grant was offered, Nantucket had a limited ability to supplement some of its food needs with the current supply of locally produced food. Furthermore, the pandemic put added economic pressure on residents who already faced an extremely high cost of living. Sustainable Nantucket hopes to both improve the Island’s ability to grow its own food as well as help residents access and afford locally grown food.

The homesteading program increases backyard production of food including vegetables and protein along with farmer mentorship. The inaugural Sustainable Agriculture class at NHS hosted twelve students who enjoyed the hands on learning approach to growing. The grant supported the purchase of 60 Grow Boxes and students managed a program that pre-planted, assembled, and distributed these Grow Boxes across the island. In its final year, most of the plants were grown by students in our Sustainable Agriculture class at NHS. The marketing material to attract recipients was prepared and distributed in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Additionally, Sustainable Nantucket purchased 14 Eglus, a mobile chicken coop, and the first 20 of day-old laying chicks that are a part of a protein at home program. All the equipment and materials needed to operate the island’s first mobile poultry processing unit (MPPU) have been purchased and assembled and stored in their new trailer. At least 50% of the birds raised will be made available to income eligible individuals and families to increase the amount of local protein available on island to those in need.

cfnan.org | (508) 825-9993 | 9B Bayberry Court

The Community Foundation for Nantucket works to enhance the well-being of our community by addressing critical issues and supporting the social, physical, cultural, economic, and environmental conditions essential for all Islanders to flourish and fulfill their potential.