When county schools closed March 13, Jenny Schwartz quickly became a liaison of sorts between schools and community partners, with representatives from about 15 groups who have been meeting regularly via Zoom to gain traction on the myriad challenges surrounding food insecurity.
In Berkshire County, roughly 10 percent of residents are food insecure, which means they do not have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
The Local Farmer Awards recently gave $142,500 in amounts up to $2,500 to 62 farmers in western Massachusetts and eastern New York for materials and equipment to make infrastructure improvements.
“We don’t see as much agriculture here as you would in a different part of the country,” Sean Stanton explained; as a result, “you end up with people wondering why the cows are outside in the snow and not understanding how their systems work.”
