GLCF provides New England Dairy & Food Council with Grant to support Billerica Public Schools Food Market

Billerica, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) awarded $8,780 to the New England Dairy & Food Council this year as part of the 2019 Help Alleviate Hunger and Homelessness in Massachusetts Grant. The funds awarded were used to support the Billerica Public Schools (BPS) Food Market, which is one of nine school-based food pantries in high-need areas of eastern Massachusetts receiving monthly food donations from Greater Boston Food Bank.

In March, GLCF awarded a total of $90,000 to 11 area nonprofit organizations through a 2019 Help Alleviate Hunger and Homelessness in Massachusetts grant. This generous one-time capital grant was made possible from an anonymous donor that partnered with the GLCF to distribute the funding to area nonprofits that are battling hunger and homelessness in the community. 

“It is encouraging to see the great work that the New England Dairy & Food Council is doing to address hunger in our community,” said Greater Lowell Community Foundation President and CEO Jay Linnehan. “GLCF, in partnership with a generous and visionary donor, is thrilled to see these capital grants positively impact the futures of so many.”    

The BPS Food Market, which began in September of 2015, is held monthly at Marshall Middle School between September and June and is set up like a farmer’s market. Donated food items are distributed by school district staff and student volunteers to members of the community who are in need. The Food Market is open to Billerica residents and offers fresh, frozen, and nonperishable items sourced from the Greater Boston Food Bank, free of charge.

With the funds awarded by the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, New England Dairy & Food Council was able to provide the Billerica School Nutrition Department with the ability to purchase crates to hold food items (previously held in cardboard boxes) as well as shopping carts for BPS Food Market users. In addition to increasing efficiency of food distribution, the new equipment will enhance the shopping experience for the 450 families that are served by the market each month. New crates have also made it easier to deliver 85-100 monthly food allotments to Billerica’s Council on Aging and Housing Authority.

“The new crates and shopping carts make our volunteer work easier and improve the customer experience of shopping at BPS Food Market. We want our community to not only benefit from this opportunity but to enjoy coming here each month, we think that’s really important,” said April Laskey, Director of School Nutrition of Billerica Public Schools.

 “We hope that enhancing efficiency and facilitating ease of transportation and delivery will mean more individuals and their families get the food they need from the market,” said Lisa Robinson, Vice President of Health & Wellness at New England Dairy & Food Council.

This capital grant program was part of a competitive grant process offered through GLCF in which nonprofit organizations applied for funds and an independent committee reviewed the proposals and selected awardees. This grant award was made possible by an anonymous gift made through GLCF.

For more information on the Greater Lowell Community Foundation please visit www.glcfoundation.org.

For questions about the Billerica Food Market, contact bpsfoodmarket@billericak12.com or call 978-528-8500.

For more information on the New England Dairy & Food Council, visit www.newenglanddairy.com.