Island Grown Initiative (IGI) has secured a location in Oak Bluffs for a permanent home for the Food Pantry with warehouse space. Move in date is 2024 with plans for solar and battery back-up for energy resilience. For more coverage, check out this article from the Vineyard Gazette.
Some additional updates from IGI:
- IGI has connected with four regional aggregator/distributors, and is looking for ways to increase collective buying capacity and bring distributors here and more regularly.
- The West Tisbury farmers market is now able to process SNAP/HIP. SNAP is accepted year round at Morning Glory Farm, and IGI Mobile market and Norton Farm accept SNAP seasonally.
- With support from IGI, both the MV Hospital and Island Health Care have enrolled patients in Fresh Connect. Island Health Care has also begun offering nutrition education classes for Fresh Connect clients.
- The MV Tick Program is compiling training materials for new hunters and in collaboration with IGI donated and distributed 10 deer amounting to ~400 lbs of venison through the Island Food Pantry and other local food equity providers in the 2022 hunting season.
- IGI connected the Ag Society to American Farmland Trust who offered to help define climate friendly farming practices.
