Our Mission
To promote health and healthy behaviors by improving the nutritional and physical activity environments for Mattapan residents and residents of surrounding communities.
MFFC is a grassroots organization in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, designed for making healthy and affordable food, safe and inviting recreational spaces and streets and sidewalks readily accessible to all.
Our Mission
About Us
Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) is a Boston grassroots organization, bringing together Mattapan residents, organizations and others to work on improving the food and physical activity environments in Mattapan. MFFC provides leadership opportunities for all ages through community engagement and empowerment. Our organization grew out of an effort to draw on the wonderful ethnic and cultural diversity of the Mattapan community to promote a healthy living environment, with a focus on access to healthy foods and the promotion of physical fitness for all ages.
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MFFC is not an official 501(c)(3). Our fiscal sponsor, Third Sector New England Inc, holds responsibility for our funds and provides us with comprehensive financial management.
Our Impact
3,400
$4,500
2,323,463
individuals served at the
Mattapan Square Farmers Market
raised at our Black
Lives Green Spaces Campaign
walking steps
accumulated by residents
Community First
BIPOC-led Organization
As a BIPOC-led organization, we prioritized diversity at all levels of our team as well as centering BIPOC individuals in our decision-making process. Our staff and youth are people of color from Mattapan and/or have shared lived experience and our advisory board is currently comprised of all BIPOC individuals. Our very own executive director, Shavel’le Oliver, is a Vigorous Youth graduate and is from Mattapan! MFFC is also a racial equity centered organization, with a focus of serving BIPOC communities. As a grassroots organization, we support these communities through authentic partnerships with them and elevating their voices.
Community-Centered Health Solutions
Since we were founded in 2006, we have aimed at improving the health of local residents, particularly obesity, related to poor diets and limited physical activity. Obesity along with other health challenges like diabetes, heart diseases, negatively impact life expectancy. Commission’s Health of Boston 2023 report states that Mattapan has the lowest life expectancy in Boston at 77.3 years - compared to the highest rate at 82.8 years in the Back Bay. To address these health challenges we focus on holistic ways to increase health through programming that engages individuals and the broader community. We do this through culturally relevant cooking and nutrition classes, supporting residents with maintaining garden plots, hosting bike rides and walking activities, running the community's farmers market, advocating for more accessible green spaces for walking and biking, and more!
Our values
01.
Equity & Antiracism
We build agency among community residents to address the historic impact of systemic and institutional racism
02.
Health & Wellness
We advocate alongside the community for policy, system, and structural changes that promote healthy behaviors. We provide and create resources to promote healthy interactions between community members
03.
Community Ownership & Empowerment
We empower residents to voice their needs and wants, build a sense of agency over their health, and create a community they deserve to live in
04.
Relationship Building Grounded in Trust
We commit to building meaningful relationships with the community and collaborating with partners to create a thriving and healthy Mattapan founded on integrity and trust
05.
Respect
We honor and recognize that the community's thoughts, feelings, and diverse backgrounds are invaluable and essential to work toward a healthy community.
06.
Youth Power
We believe in the limitless potential of young people and choose to invest in them as the key to a healthier future for our communities and world