The data came in, and it was sobering.  

This past summer, we needed to prepare for a tripling in the number of people participating in Food for Families, our free farmers market. While shocking, the numbers weren’t surprising. We saw this increased need across the board from all our partner agencies, and news reports indicated that the situation was the same throughout the country.

Food insecurity has been referred to as the “hidden epidemic.” Thousands of people in our region cannot reliably count on three meals a day, but the need isn’t always visible. Before the pandemic, 9 percent of people in Massachusetts experienced food insecurity. That figure ballooned 17 percent in the economic fallout that followed. Now, what we couldn’t see—or didn’t want to see—is painfully clear. Too many in our region are experiencing hunger. Families with young children and our neighbors of color are particularly affected.  

When you support Gaining Ground, you help bring more than 100,000 pounds of nutritious, organic produce to those most in need. You make a meaningful difference to thousands of families throughout Greater Boston. Your donations translate directly into leafy greens, juicy carrots, and crisp peppers—feeding our neighbors and providing nourishment for body and spirit.

Please consider a gift to Gaining Ground this fall to benefit communities in need.

Thank you!