A farm share program providing fresh and locally grown produce to low-income seniors across Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties is seeking to expand its reach.
Now at the tail end of the season, Senior FarmShare — a program out of the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — served 700 people in 2023. If fundraising efforts are successful, the program may serve as many as 1,000 seniors next year.
CISA is a Deerfield-based nonprofit that supports local agriculture through programs, campaigning, education and research.
“An important piece of our work is food access, and Senior FarmShare is a program that falls under that umbrella,” said spokesperson Claire Morenon.
The program, which has existed for nearly two decades, partners with 15 local farms and 19 distribution sites including senior centers and senior housing facilities.
“We have relationships with farms, they’re able to grow the food, and then our senior center and council on aging partners are able to use their connections with seniors to make sure it gets to people who need it,” Morenon said.
For 10 weeks during the summer growing season, participants receive fresh produce, with shares valued at $145. Participants pay a one-time fee of $10 during enrollment.
The program is funded through a combination of state funds and donations from the public.
This this year, for the third consecutive year, Rep. Daniel Carey, D-Easthampton, secured $75,000 in the state budget to support the program.
“I’m glad to support the program in the budget each year knowing it will benefit our region by connecting our elderly neighbors with our local farms,” Carey said in a statement. “It is always the right time to get fresh healthy produce into the hands of someone who needs it.”
Morenon said there is always more demand for the program than can be met, which is why it is seeking to expand its reach to more people.
“We hear from our distribution site partners, the senior centers and councils on aging, that there’s a lot more demand than they are able to meet in their own communities,” said Morenon. “We also know that there are many communities throughout the region where we don’t have Senior FarmShare distributions. … So there’s plenty of room for expansion.”
CISA is currently funding for the program expansion through its Growing Resilience campaign.
Maddie Fabian can be reached at mfabian@gazettenet.com.