Since 2003, Gaining Ground has supplied fresh, seasonal vegetables, fruit, fresh herbs, and flower bouquets—all grown on the farm—to seniors and families experiencing food insecurity in Concord and Carlisle. The program runs on Saturday mornings from mid-June to early October, and this year supported more than 125 households with over 11,000 pounds of food.

One Food For Families guest recently shared these words of gratitude. “Without Gaining Ground, Food for Families, and the clean, organic, non-toxic nourishment I receive each season, I most likely wouldn’t be alive today, entering my 6th decade, my 60s. Most surely, I would not be as healthy as I am and able to live independently on my own, with a quality of life I had almost given up on. I am eternally grateful!” 

To ensure healthy, fresh food on our neighbors’ holiday tables, Gaining Ground offers a special Food for Families distribution annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year’s contents nourish both body and soul: Gaining Ground-grown scallions, delicata squash, garlic, head lettuce, kale, spinach, and parsnips, a lovely bouquet of dried flowers, plus a bottle of local maple syrup, boiled right on the farm.

“Gaining Ground’s maple syrup is a lovely addition to the Thanksgiving distribution. Many clients specifically mention how much they appreciate this once-a-year offering,” says Allison Goodwin, Director of Operations. “Some guests have only ever tasted the maple-flavored, corn-sweetener laden substance sold in supermarkets, and when they taste genuine maple syrup for the first time, they’re amazed.” 

During this time of great uncertainty and hardship around food security, Gaining Ground is grateful that, as a community, we are able to support one another. If you are interested in volunteering with Food for Families next season, email volunteer@gainingground.org.