Why Food Equity Matters
Reliable access to nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate food plays a major role in how people and communities stay healthy.
Across Central Massachusetts and beyond, many individuals and families face food insecurity, rising food prices and gaps in the regional food system. These challenges affect people’s physical health, chronic disease management, mental well-being and financial stability.
What Food Equity Means
Food equity means people can consistently get food that supports their health, reflects cultural preferences and comes from stable, sustainable systems.
Strong local food systems also support community well-being. Local farming and food production create jobs, strengthen local economies and improve food security.
When food is grown, processed and distributed closer to home, communities are more resilient and better connected.
This work began with listening and engagement efforts led by the Community Health Equity Team (CHET). Community partners shared data showing how food insecurity connects with other social drivers of health, including housing stability, transportation, income and environmental sustainability. Food equity became a key focus for advancing community health equity.
Why Food Became a Priority
Beginning in 2024, UMass Memorial Health worked with community organizations and internal teams through listening sessions, design days and at community tables. Food access consistently emerged as a shared concern where the needs of the community and the expertise and resources of the health system come together.
Community partners emphasized building on existing efforts rather than creating new, overlapping programs. Priorities included supporting local food producers, reducing food waste, improving coordination and aligning funding and resources. Food equity was quickly identified as an area where collaboration could make a meaningful difference.
Introducing Food Equity And Sustainable Transformation (FEAST):
FEAST is the first major initiative of CHET. It focuses on strengthening the regional food system through collaboration and long-term planning.
FEAST works to:
- Improve food security and access for individuals and families
- Support local food producers, distributors and community organizations
- Strengthen food system coordination and infrastructure
- Reduce food waste and environmental impact
How FEAST Supports Community Health Equity
FEAST aligns with UMass Memorial’s Anchor Mission by using purchasing, investment and workforce strategies to support food equity goals. These strategies include working with local suppliers and community-based food system partners.
By connecting clinical insights, community voices and health system resources, FEAST supports community health equity by helping to build a stronger, more sustainable regional food system.
Food Equity in Action
The examples below show how UMass Memorial is putting its Food Equity And Sustainable Transformation (FEAST) work into action — using our role as a health system to invest in partnerships, support programs and align resources in ways that expand access to healthy food and help build a more equitable and sustainable regional food system.
Explore FEAST in Action