ABHC’s Food Access Committee includes community members and organizations who collectively work to make food more affordable, equitable, and accessible for our neighborhood. The committee recognizes that Allston Brighton is a multicultural and multigenerational community where we advocate for equitable access to affordable, culturally diverse, fresh, and nutritious food for the neighborhood of Allston Brighton.
In 2024, the committee examined existing neighborhood food access data, gaps in resources, and identified shared priorities and opportunities. Members agreed on four priorities to advance over the next two years:
Increase access to culturally-relevant foods in Allston-Brighton
We create and coordinate cultural food programs by supporting the affordability of our corner stores, advocating for more mobile street food stalls, & BIPOC food establishments. See our guide to culturally relevant foods in Allston-Brighton here.
Advocate for a Food Co-op in Allston-Brighton
We work to establish a community run grocery store where the community owns and decides what is on the shelves! Co-ops increase access to nutritious produce with opportunities to create affordability through subsidizing costs through membership dues. Learn more about food co-ops here.
Other ways the committee is leading our work:
- Farmers Market – Providing input on the planning and operations of the farmers market.
- Resource Connection – Sharing useful tools and information to support food access in our neighborhood.
- Data – Looking at neighborhood data and census maps to determine the needs of the community.
How To Join
Each focus area has its own working group where community members are actively pursuing these efforts. We meet monthly as a group to discuss and support our efforts as a collective.
- To get involved in the committee please contact ABHC’s Food Access Coordinator, Jessi for more information and calendar invites to our zoom meetings.
- Anyone interested in engaging in this space must join the ABHC Network to become a Committee Member.
Brighton Farmers Market
Since 2016, the Brighton Farmers Market has offered locally grown produce, fresh fish, sustainable meats, and specialty foods.
Through our 2015 community food access needs assessment process, community members identified a farmers market as a top priority to improve food access, and ABHC responded. ABHC established the Brighton Farmers Market in 2016 in partnership with ABCD Neighborhood Opportunity Center, Brighton Main Streets, and Presentation School Foundation. Since 2019, ABHC has solely managed the market on Brighton Common, and has grown the market’s product variety and customer attendance, with 900 weekly visitors.
The accessibility of affordable local foods is the primary mission of the market. Our vendors accept food access benefits including SNAP/HIP, WIC, senior coupons, and the City of Boston’s coupon program. We prioritize up-and-coming vendors and businesses with a focus on women and BIPOC owned vendors. Through various partner collaborations we offer a free concert series, children activities, wellness programs, and more. We celebrate the joyful diversity of our community where folks can gather, engage, smile, shop locally, and enjoy music and arts.
The Brighton Farmers Market has become an essential part of the community. This success would not be possible without the years of support we have received from Brighton Main Streets, Charlesview Inc., Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Harvard Ed Portal, Harvard University, and St Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
Resource Connection
ABHC identifies and connects community members to the food resources they need. We connect community based organizations with one another to increase expanded food access in the Allston Brighton area. This helps reduce program overlaps in the neighborhood with a focus on filling food resource gaps as a collaborative network.