Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative
Centering community and convening creating cross-sector partners to increase access to food across Boston.
Objective
Through collaboration, education, advocacy and innovative programming, NFAC seeks to create solutions for a more robust, accessible and equitable food ecosystem in Boston.
About
The Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative (NFAC) is a community-centered, cross-sector network made up of community residents, community-based organizations, and local healthcare and government institutions.
The collaborative was formed during the height of COVID at a time in which a state of emergency, coupled with an influx of food resources demanded a coordinated, community-led response.
To date, through bi-weekly community meetings, NFAC continues to provide a platform for community residents to design solutions to address food insecurity in their own communities AND for cross-sector partners to convene regularly to ensure programs and resources are getting to those most in need.
It shouldn't be this hard if you have a community wanting to help their own community. It wasn’t until I met with [Vital CxNs] that we started to get food for people that they can depend on.
Carrie Dubose, Dorchester resident & NFAC member
Community Leaders & Partners
Ric Henry
Community Leader, Health Leads
Peer-to-Peer Model
In partnership with Health Leads and the Mayor’s Office of Food Justice, we hire and train community members to provide multilingual education, advocacy and enrollment support for government-funded benefit programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) and more.
This peer-to-peer model, which activates the power of community voice and builds community ownership, is an example of our reimagined model of community health.
The Work in Action
Create a platform for education, information sharing and community ownership in addition to cross-sector collaboration.
Provide leadership and professional development opportunities to community members, including 2 community leadership positions to lead NFAC’s collective efforts.
Support 3 food distribution sites located in Roslindale and Hyde Park that provide culturally-relevant produce to 300+ families on a weekly basis.
Impact
20
Community members participated in paid professional development opportunities in 2024
300K
Pounds of food diverted from landfill & distributed to families in need in 2023
24
Community meetings hosted in 2024, including 9 policy and advocacy-focused educational and listening sessions
