Littleton Community Farm (LCF) was founded in 2013 to connect people to the land, food, and each other. Our mission is to reduce food insecurity in our area, provide farm-based education, and be a place for community connection. Our target population is low to moderate-income households in Nashua Valley and the gateway city of Lowell, MA. The farm is located in Littleton, MA; the farm leases 3 acres from our generous partner, the New England Forestry Foundation.
Food security for our most vulnerable populations, already a serious concern before COVID-19, has exploded over the past year. Children and the elderly, especially those in our minority communities, are most at risk. In July of 2020, The Department of Unemployment Assistance reported in Middlesex County, 13.7% of households are experiencing food insecurity. Food pantries are struggling to meet the demand for help and are pleading for healthy, locally grown food to assist those in desperate need. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed both the fragility of our food system and dramatically increased the number of at-risk and underserved populations. Having begun a review of our hunger relief and education programs in January, LCF will be expanding efforts to broaden our impact in vulnerable communities with each pound of food we grow. Your gift today will directly increase our capacity to increase the pounds of food grown for others.
COVID-19 has strengthened our resolve to our mission and called us to find new and creative ways to address the food crisis. Given the expected longevity of both unemployment and food insecurity, LCF believes it is imperative to quickly shift production away from our commercial community-supported agriculture (CSA) program and towards existing and new hunger relief programs. Your support is critical to allowing us to increase pounds of fresh, healthy vegetables grown with best organic practices to families in need this year and into the future. Generous gifts from donors like you are critical to covering the hunger relief program.
We have a strong record of success. Since 2015 we have grown and donated 21,500 lbs. of food for food-insecure families. LCF is unique in that our sole purpose is to donate produce– donations are not a byproduct of production; rather, the primary purpose of growing. Low-income residents who seek support at food pantries have less access to fresh vegetables and fruit. Pantries have limited refrigeration and resources. Pantries are heavily weighted with shelf-stable products, many of which are high-calorie, high-sugar foods. By providing more fresh local grown vegetables to food pantries, LCF increases the amount of healthy food consumed and decreases the need for pantries to spend limited funds on purchasing perishable goods.
Today, your gift will build the organization and the growing operations to distribute increased pounds of food to those who desperately need it the most. LCF is the only nonprofit farm in Nashoba Valley who grows directly for hunger relief.
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Donations to Littleton Community Farm are tax-deductible. We are a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. You can write to us at Littleton Community Farm PO. Box 1186, Littleton, MA 01460, or contact us online at LittletonCommunityFarm.org/contact
