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By DOMENIC POLI

ORANGE — The Franklin County Community Meals Program closed on the former Mike’s Place property on Jan. 31 and plans to move the Orange Food Pantry into its new home in mid-May.

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — With the approval of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act last week, which includes $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), regional food assistance agencies say they are anticipating negative impacts that will sprawl across many aspects of society.

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — With food insecurity rising across the state and food pantries seeing their highest number of clients since the pandemic, the public is invited to a fundraising event this weekend to support local pantries.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Half of all households in Franklin and Hampshire counties and roughly 2 million adults across the state experienced food insecurity in 2024, according to a new statewide report published by The Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham.

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

GREENFIELD — Of the approximately $1.65 million provided to the city in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 through the state’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, officials are proposing two separate projects aimed at helping Greenfield residents who are facing food insecurity and struggling to secure housing.

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

SHELBURNE FALLS — A group of gardeners, landowners and sustainability enthusiasts is looking to reduce the number of people in Franklin County who struggle with food insecurity.

By ADA DENENFELD KELLY

TURNERS FALLS — As a final send-off, Franklin County Technical School’s Class of 2025 gave a $5,000 donation to the school’s new food pantry, which was established to meet an increase in student demand for food.

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — More than 50,000 meals will be served to western Massachusetts residents in need this year through a $450,000 grant administered by the Franklin County Community Development Corporation.

By SCOTT MERZBACH

Though Massachusetts is not one of at least six states that will lose out on $500 million in food deliveries promised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the leader of the region’s largest food bank remains concerned about future cuts.

By GUSTAVO ATENCIO FLORES

GREENFIELD — The annual Supper for Six food drive brought together families, friends and coworkers from across Franklin and Hampshire counties last week to support community members facing food insecurity during the February school break.

By DOMENIC POLI

GREENFIELD — The Supper for Six food drive is once again collecting donations to ensure local food pantries and family programs will have plenty to offer during the busy February school vacation week.

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

SHELBURNE — As the West County Food Pantry’s funding sources shift, the Selectboard is exploring the possibility of allocating funding and potentially asking voters to appropriate funds during Annual Town Meeting.

By CHRIS LARABEE

Just over a month since Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) benefits were cut by a minimum of 50%, local businesses and advocates for the initiative are hopeful that it will be restored, as farmers, vendors and stores are seeing the effects of reduced benefits.

By MADISON SCHOFIELD

SHELBURNE FALLS — With the towns of Shelburne and Buckland shifting the focus of their Community Development Block Grants to housing, the West County Food Pantry operated by Community Action Pioneer Valley will be facing a $50,000 budget deficit and looking for creative financing solutions come next fall.

NORTHFIELD — While the Northfield Kiwanis Club has organized its Holiday Craft Fair and Raffle for decades each December, this year marked the first time in memory where the group partnered not only with Northfield Elementary School and its...

By EVELINE MACDOUGALL

Stepping into an animal enclosure after dusk on Friday the 13th, I moved slowly among feathery shapes that appeared grey in December’s early darkness. The full moon, low in the sky, was the only light source; the atmosphere was eerie and wholly...

By CHRIS LARABEE

GREENFIELD — More products and facility upgrades will be coming to the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center, as the Franklin County Community Development Corporation has reeled in two separate grants.The Franklin County CDC was awarded a...

By CHRIS LARABEE

DEERFIELD — With folks confined to their homes in the early days of the pandemic, but still looking for local produce, Julia Coffey and her team at Mycoterra Farm branched out to bring products to their doors in the form of Mass Food Delivery.While...

By ANTHONY CAMMALLERI

Leading a roughly 100-person crowd across a two-day, 43-mile trek from Springfield to Greenfield, NEPM radio host Christopher “Monte” Belmonte raised more than $572,000 to end hunger during the 15th annual March for the Food Bank.Belmonte, dressed as...

By ALEXA LEWIS

While many families are gearing up for their holiday feasts, a large number of Massachusetts residents are struggling to put food on the table. Amid unusually high prices and the conclusion of many pandemic-era supports, local food banks and survival...

By ALEXA LEWIS

The 15th annual March for the Food Bank with Monte Belmonte will once again traverse the 43 miles from Springfield to Greenfield over Monday and Tuesday.The march has come to be known not just for the creative costumes donned by marchers pushing...