Local food AId

• Martha’s Vineyard Community Services - The food resources listed on the MVCS website is a great starting point for understanding what emergency nutrition assistance is available on the island. MVCS’ own Family Center Food Pantry remains open to families by appointment. Email mvfamilycenter@gmail.com or call (508) 687-9182 to schedule. In addition, MVCS has helpfully compiled comprehensive resources for people in need of mental health support and substance use support.

• Support Island Farms - The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society updates this list of local growers weekly. Contactless sale and pickup protocol have been implemented to protect farmers and the loyal customers looking to buy their delicious produce, breads, jams, and ferments. 

• The Island Food Pantry - is offering pre-packaged grocery bags at their usual location at the corner of Williams and Church Streets in Vineyard Haven. Safe, socially-distanced pickup is available on Mondays and Wednesdays, 2 - 4 pm and on Saturdays, 10 am to noon. Homebound and self-quarantined folks, email delivery@islandfoodpantry.org. 

• Food Baskets MV & Good Shepherd Parish - A collaboration of the Good Shepherd Parish and The Greater Boston Food Bank, Food Baskets is distributing fresh produce, protein, and shelf-stable foods every Saturday, 11:30-12:20 at the Parish Hall opposite Oak Bluffs Library. They ask that customers stay in their car during pick up. To arrange food drop-offs for the homebound, contact Joe Capobianco (508) 696-1948.

• School Meals - Bags of groceries will be available for pick-up at MVRHS, Oak Bluffs School, Edgartown School, Tisbury School, and West Tisbury School on Monday and Thursday, every week. Please visit school websites for more information and order forms. Families are able to order from any Island school, regardless of where child/children attend school.

• Meals on Wheels - To receive ready-made meals from Meals on Wheels, clients must meet specified age and income guidelines. Contact 1-800-224-44630 or (508)394-4630 to apply for benefits. Meals on Wheels continues to deliver to established clients Monday through Friday between 10-12. Volunteers will not be entering the homes of clients. They will knock and leave the meal outside for the elder to retrieve.

Solidarity garden tutorials

Crises like this one exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in our community. Drawing inspiration from folks around the country working to build resilience in their rural communities, we encourage our neighbors to increase food access in our own neighborhoods by growing a Solidarity Garden! Growing surplus food in our backyards means more fruits and vegetables for the people we love and more security for our community in this precarious time. Now is the time to get those seeds in the ground! Here are some resources for growing food to support yourself and others.

• MV Community Seed Library Giveaway - Starting April 17 and continuing while supplies last, the MV Community Seed Library Group is giving out free heirloom vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds for home gardeners. Seeds can be safely picked up from the West Tisbury Public Library Porch. Maintain social distancing during pick up and share your seeds’ progress with the Seed Library Group as they grow. 

• Raised Bed Construction Tutorial - Syracuse-based Alchemical Nursery provides a simple video tutorial for beginning raised beds. To help you get started and ensure a bumper crop, they also provide free garden advising. For more established homesteaders and gardeners looking to expand their yield, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) is providing a similar free resource as well as access to their extensive library of instructional materials.

• Free Farm and Garden Courses from Penn State - 25 courses in everything from basic home gardening to silviculture are now available online from Penn State’s agricultural extension 

• Free Seed Starting Academy - Usually $98, Fruition Seeds is offering its Seed Starting Academy for free this spring. The course includes access to step-by-step instructional videos for starting, potting up, transplanting, and direct seeding for a successful crop.

• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) Free Library - ATTRA’s library of instructional publications, podcasts, and videos is now freely available. Farmers and gardeners of all levels will find useful resources here. 

• “In a Nutshell” Education Series from the Savannah Institute - A nonprofit dedicated agroforestry, the Savannah Institute’s YouTube features a variety of helpful, explanatory videos that describe different elements of experimental, sustainable agriculture, “in a nutshell.” Perfect for curious beginners and experienced farmers wishing to diversify their approach.

Want to add to the list? Community members are welcome to suggest additional resources. We are looking to partner with others on the island to build networks of mutual aid. Please Stay safe, stay away, and stay in touch. 

resources for farmers

• Understanding the CARES Act: Accessing Emergency Resources - The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (S.3548) allocates more than $2.2 trillion in aid to small businesses impacted by the crisis, including farmers. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition helpfully summarizes the act and Cornell College of Agricultural and Life Sciences’ Small Farms Program explains how farmers can access emergency funding through it. Cornell University and Farm Credit East both provide free webinars clarifying how farms that meet the Small Business Administration requirements may qualify for low interests, forgivable loans through the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Loan Program (PPP). Deadline: First come, first serve (apply ASAP).

• Small Business Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) - Separately from the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering loans to help offset loss of revenue caused by the pandemic. EIDL loans (up to $10,000) do not need to be repaid. As of early April, it appears that most farms and food producers are ineligible for EIDL loans, however nonprofits and members of congress are lobbying for farmers’ access to the benefit. Deadline: Applications due June 30, 2020.

• F.A.R.M.S. Farmers Emergency Fund - The nonprofit F.A.R.M.S. is providing one-time, mini grants of up to $500 to farmers struggling to fund daily operation. Assistance is limited to farmers who cultivate less than 500 acres, have limited resources, and live in the United States. Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis. 

• American Farmland Trust (AFT) Farmer Relief Fund - The American Farmland Trust is offering $1,000 cash grants to support farmers disrupted by the virus. Small and mid-size direct-market farmers are eligible to apply, although restrictions may tighten as the crisis continues. The Trust is accepting donations to the fund, 100% of which will go straight to farmers’ pockets. Deadline: Apply in English or Spanish by April 23, 2020. 

• Federal Legislation and Relief Efforts Chart for Farmers & FAQ - Explanatory chart compiled by Shearman & Sterling LLP, Courtesy of Pace University’s Food Law Initiative 

• Food Law Initiative’s COVID-19 Legal Aid - Pace University’s Food Law Initiative has launched the COVID-19 Legal Support Project to provide pro bono legal services to farms and other businesses in the food world affected by this crisis. To qualify, businesses must meet the Clinic’s income eligibility criteria. To Apply: email jbrown4@law.pace.edu and vpanasci@law.pace.edu or visit the Legal Support Project site. 

• CSA Assistance - Compiled by Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and the CSA Innovation Network, this resource list for CSA farmers is a trove of information, from best practices for produce packing and delivery to webinars in online marketing and new models for community supported agriculture in the time of coronavirus.

• Food & Land Sovereignty Resource List & Mutual Aid Survey - Soul Fire Farm, Black Farmer Fund, and Northeast Farmers of Color have compiled an extensive Resource List (fed by this Mutual Aid Survey) which includes mental health resources, free online learning opportunities, requests and offers of support (including those for BIPOC only), and an extensive list of BIPOC-owned farms that could use financial aid. 

• Food Industry Virtual Office Hours - Farmers and other food industry stakeholders are invited to speak directly with each other and Cornell University food safety experts during office hours. Questions and concerns about the pandemic are priority. No registration required; check for upcoming times.