food access + Nutrition
We increase the exposure of healthy, affordable, and accessible produce and food and what to do with them
Mattapan Square Farmers Market
Our 18th season starts July 13, 2024 and ends October 26, 2024, every Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on the Corner of Cummins Highway and Fairway.
The market runs from July to October and typically sees 200-400 shoppers per week. It is not only a place to purchase healthy food, but also serves as a place to bring residents together and as a resource for health education and other social issues.
The approach to our market is to ensure it’s accessibility to low income families and making sure food sold is culturally relevant. We do this through selecting farmers that are able to sell their produce at reasonable prices, encouraging and facilitating the use of SNAP and HIP benefits, outreaching to WIC recipients who receive WIC farmers' market coupons, and outreaching to elders who receive Senior Farmers Market coupons.
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The Mattapan Square Farmers Market follows a safety protocol to ensure a safe and healthy opening and shopping experience!
Gardening
MFFC partners with two community gardens: Woolson Street Community Garden and Kennedy Community Garden. Neighborhood residents organize clean ups, plan harvest parties, art activities, and host gardening workshops. Residents are encouraged to sign up to own a garden plot and grow their own food! These gardens help bring accessible fresh produce into Boston communities and enable healthy choices.
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If you’re interested into owning a garden plot in Edgewater Drive or Woolson Street Mattapan contact us at info@mattapanfoodandfit.org
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Summer Eats
For children who don't participate in summer camps during the summer, spending time in the local library is an alternative. MFFC noticed that most of the children did not go home to eat.
After being approached by Project Bread in 2017 about non traditional ways to serve meals to children who need it, MFFC now oversees two Summer Eats locations in Mattapan - the Mattapan Square Farmers Market + the Mattapan Branch Library. Throughout the summer 3,000+ meals are served. MFFC's Summer Eats program became a state wide model for all libraries + local farmers market as Project Bread works to solve hunger.
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Meal distribution will start in July at the Mattapan Square Farmers Market on Saturdays and at the Mattapan Branch Library Monday through Friday until the last week in August.
Cooking Classes
In partnership with Boston Organization of Nutritionists and Dietitians of Colour (BOND), our Mattapan Flavours cooking class is a great way to learn fun, easy, and tasty meals to cook. Our classes are open to any who would like to participate.
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The next cooking class will happen August 2022.
