1. Structural Barriers to Healthy Eating
Making Holyoke a Food Secure Community

2. Past and Current Policy Options
Food Stamps
WIC program
Free school lunch program
Holyoke Health Center—various healthy living programs
Nuestras Raices—agricultural programs
Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council Alliance
Soup kitchens and food pantries (Kate’s kitchen, Food Bank of Western, MA)

3. Our Recommendation
Greater focus on developing small scale agriculture (community farms) to meet the needs of Holyoke residents.
Benefits:
Alleviate health problems – Food + HHC cookbooks = healthier eating => decreased health problems
Decrease dependence on money for food
Opens employment and housing opportunities – Ralphie and use of abandoned buildings
Connecting residents with their heritage and their culture – Maria Salgado
Greater potential for higher productivity among residents – Economic literature on Agriculture
Crime reduction: “If I have food to eat, I see no reason to pick up a gun and get what I want” (Kate’s Kitchen client)

4. Our Recommendation Things to consider:
Developing unused land on outskirts of Holyoke
Provide housing for those who labor on the farms
Government authorization: buildings and land
Funding: Some of Kellogg Funds
Getting people to buy into proposal: Investors and community members co- operation