Fairgate Farm Awarded $22,640 Grant by the Harvard Pilgrim Health

The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has awarded Stamford’s Fairgate Farm a $22,640 Healthy Food Fund grant to assist it in building volunteer participation and increasing access to healthy, locally-grown organic produce. Fairgate Farm, located at 129 Stillwater Avenue in the West Side neighborhood of Stamford, is among 25 local initiatives that received a total of $625,000 in grants to support community food programs that grow, distribute and/or market fresh food to low-income families and communities across the region. According to Vin Tufo, chief executive officer of Charter Oak Communities, “This grant will allow us to expand volunteer participation and our community building efforts with a part-time seasonal employee so that more community members may enjoy fresh, local produce and participate in Fairgate Farm’s free gardening, nutrition and cooking programs. We feel that the Farm is helping to create an important cultural shift toward healthier, productive lifestyles in Stamford’s West Side neighborhood.”

Fairgate Farm is a thriving, volunteer-powered, organic urban farm that is part of the nationally-recognized Vita Health & Wellness District. In 2018 the number of volunteers and visitors to the Farm doubled with corporations, schools, and residents logging in over 1,200 volunteer hours. Its ever-expanding composting initiative diverted over 6,000 pounds of food waste from local landfills. Visitors and volunteers enjoy a full schedule of community events and celebrations including cooking demos, gardening workshops, annual festivals (Earth Day, Strawberry Festival, Harvest Festival) and composting classes as well as special events for corporate groups, schools, and civic organizations. Volunteers help to grow and harvest fresh organic produce they then take home to their families; the balance (about 1,500 pounds last year) is delivered to local homeless shelters, food banks and soup kitchens. The Farmers Market (open May to October) provides a retail option where patrons may purchase fresh produce at reduced prices from Fairgate Farm as well as from five local family farms. For details about the farm, volunteering opportunities and annual events contact our Outreach Coordinator Heidi Andersen at FairgateFarm.com or email FairgateFarm@gmail.com.

Created in 1980, The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation supports Harvard Pilgrim's mission to improve the quality and value of health care for the people and communities they serve. The Harvard Pilgrim Foundation provides the tools, training and leadership to help build healthy communities throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. In 2018, they awarded more than $1.25 million in grants to 855 nonprofit organizations in the region. Since launching the Harvard Pilgrim Healthy Food Fund grants in 2016, they have awarded a total of $4.6 million in grants. “Helping families eat in healthier ways, and encouraging support for food system improvements, we believe will lead to healthier people and healthier communities,” said Karen Voci, President of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. For details visit www.harvardpilgrim.org/foundation.