With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to shop locally and support our community while exploring ways to reduce waste at holiday gatherings. Whether you’re hosting an intimate family dinner or a larger celebration, a few thoughtful choices can significantly reduce landfill waste and uplift our local economy.
We recently embraced this spirit of sustainability at our Boogie at the Bog event, where we welcomed 350 guests and practiced zero-waste principles. Here’s how we made it happen:
Since Mid-October Marion Institute’s Southcoast Food Policy Council has been busy!
SFPC is Looking for New CAB Members
The SFPC CAB consists of stakeholders from different sectors of the food system and represents towns across the region from Fall River to Plymouth.
Take Action to Prevent Cuts to HIP
Contact your State Representative, Senator, and Governor Healey, and urge them to add $10 million to HIP (line item 4400-1004) in the FY25 supplemental budget to avoid this detrimental change.
District 10 Virtual Candidate Forum Recap
The Marion Institute’s Southcoast Food Policy Council’s VIRTUAL Candidate Forum was held on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 6:30-8pm. Watch full forum and see recap below:
SFPC Quarterly Meeting
Our focus during quarterly meetings is to provide updates and progress made by the SFPC’s Community Advisory Board’s working groups, share ways you can take action as a food stakeholder, and provide space for community feedback and questions. Join the December 10th Quarterly meetings and future meetings by registering as a member of the SFPC.
Frogfoot Farm was hopping this past month with lots of exciting things going on. See noteworthy items below:
Our Fall Harvest Yields Over 524lbs of Fresh Produce Thanks to Our Amazing Volunteers!
This fall, Frogfoot Farm harvested and donated an incredible 524lbs of beets, carrots, radishes, and turnips to Damien’s Place Food Pantry! Between October 10 and November 19, volunteers contributed over 70 hours, with three new faces joining our team, bringing this year’s total to 51 unique volunteers.
In the face of statewide labor shortages, our dedicated volunteers prove the power of Neighbors Feeding Neighbors. Interested in being part of Frogfoot Farm’s volunteer team? Learn more or sign up for the 2025 season below! Sign up to volunteer at Frogfoot Farm in the 2025 Season Here.
Soil Health & Crop Plans
This warm, sunny fall allowed us to apply a second microbial inoculation and foliar feeding to our cover-cropped field and fall vegetables, enhancing soil health and nutrient cycling. Over winter, we’ll analyze soil tests to guide next steps.
Gleaning at Skinny Dip Farm
On November 13, the Marion Institute team ventured over to Skinny Dip Farm to glean fresh produce in Westport, MA to support food equity by providing nutritious food to those in need. Thank you Skinny Dip and the United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Hunger Commission who helped us distribute the 136 lbs of gleaned leafy greens to food pantries across the Southcoast.
Start 2025 with a Focus on your Health – Check out our BioMed Program Offerings!
Sign up for Our 21-Day Reset
Are you ready for a Health Reset! Join our FREE 21-Day Reset to receive daily emails from January 11-31, 2025 that will introduce you to small, sustainable changes you can incorporate into your lifestyle that will have lasting impact on your overall health and immune function. Sign Up for Free Here.
MBSR Spring 2025 Course is Open for Enrollment
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Spring 2025 course is now open for enrollment and is IN PERSON! Classes will be on Wednesday’s from March 5th – April 23, 2025 from 5:30pm – 8:00/8:30pm.
MBSR is an eight-week in-depth, experiential course in mind/body awareness. Using meditation, yoga, personal inquiry, dialog, and somatic awareness exercises, the MBSR program introduces participants to the art and science of living mindfully. This course will be IN PERSON at Sangha Yoga Studio in New Bedford, MA. Learn More & See if it’s Right for You Here.
Jessica Frank, Director of our BioMed Program, is energized after recently hosting the “Hold it to Heal it” event at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY, and tabling and attending the NHAND Annual Conference in New Castle, NH. Here are some highlight photos:
Welcome New FoodCorps Members
FoodCorps Service Members include (left to right): Paul Costa, Mikayla Adams, Joanna Lavesque, Stephanie Lawrence, Nate Sander (Grow Education Program Manager), & Joshua Swaye
The 2024-2025 school year marks an exciting chapter for the Marion Institute’s Grow Education Farm-to-School (Grow FTS) program, as it welcomes five dedicated FoodCorps Service Members to support and grow its impact. These service members, part of the national AmeriCorps team, play a crucial role in communities across the country, partnering with educators and school nutrition leaders providing meaningful food education and experiences that support and celebrate student’s overall well-being.
Learn More about Grow Education’s Partnership with FoodCorps Here
Healthy Food Starts with Healthy Soil: How Grow Education Brings Soil Science to Life in School Gardens
Grow Education Brings Soil Science to Life in School Gardens – Watch Grow FTS Program Manager, Nate Sander in this recent video he made to explain to students and teachers why the importance in testing the soil across 23 school gardens!
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