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About Office of Food Access and Healthy Communities
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Latest News:
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Mission statement
Mission: We aim to support health by improving food access and nutrition security and by creating ways to be active, connect and belong.
- How we do that:
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- Convene & Connect
- Inform
- Evaluate
- Advocate
- Fund
- Boost
- Operate
- Center outreach and engagement
Contact Information
Contact Information
Lisa Robinson
Director, Office of Food Access & Healthy Com
Monday - Wednesday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Phone Number
x
4312
Email
Address
50 Evergreen Ave.
Somerville, MA 02145
United States
Employee Directory
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Convene and Connect >
- Somerville Food Coalition. The OFAHC team serves as the coordinator for these monthly meetings, guided by a steering committee of community partners and members. Join here.
- SNAP Practice Group. The OFAHC, the Community Health Worker Division, and SomerPromise co-facilitate a SNAP Practice Group. The group brings together advocates, connectors, and service providers who help Somerville residents apply for SNAP and other DTA programs to: 1) share updates on these programs, 2) provide a space for group problem solving, and 3) identify issues that could be highlighted in advocacy to policy makers or directly to the DTA.
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Fund >
- Partner with 10 community-based organizations to support food security programs with the allocation of nearly $1 million in Community Benefits Funds. See announcement here.
- Universal SNAP Match at Davis Square, Union Square, and Winter Farmers Markets.
- Community Fridges with a weekly produce subscription from Boston Area Gleaners and for High School Culinary students to prepare ready-made meals for the fridges (through Participatory Budgeting Cycle 1).
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Inform >
- Maintain the Somerville Food Coalition website.
- Produce and keep updated multilingual food resource flyers up to date.
- Disseminate relevant news, policy and advocacy information via social media platforms (Instagram/Facebook).
- Support residents to maximize the food resources available to them. Find more on extending SNAP benefits at Farmers Markets here.
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Evaluate >
- Community Food Assessments and progress reports. OFAHC completed the 2026 Community Food Assessment in July 2026. Find the full report here.
- Collect data to inform allocation of funding opportunities and improve upon existing initiatives.
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Advocate >
- Lead collaborative efforts to sign onto letters, engage people with lived experience to share their stories, and connect with local representatives on state level food access issues.
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Boost >
- Add staff capacity to food resource operations when needed, such as School Markets.
- Support Parks and Recreation in providing free summer meals in the parks. Stay tuned for the 2026 schedule.
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Operate >
- Somerville Mobile Farmers Market – bringing farm fresh, locally grown low cost produce to four neighborhoods in Somerville for 15 years and counting.
- See the markets impact from the 2025 season: SMFM summary.
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Safe Routes to School
OFAHC is part of cross-sector city and schools working group centering safe streets for students and their families so they can walk and roll safely to and from school.
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Somerville Parks Map
A seven-language map updated by the OFAHC team of all parks in the city.
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Mayor’s Parks Pass Challenge
Enjoying parks and open spaces improves physical and mental wellbeing for all ages. See how many of our parks you can visit!
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Tap Water Campaign
A collaboration with SomerPromise to create materials and present information about Somerville tap water. Use these Trust Your Tap flyers in seven languages.
Other Food Access Program Resources: Where else to find good food
- DTA Finder: Connects you to ways to buy seasonal affordable produce with SNAP/HIP program. All Somerville farmers markets host farmers who accept HIP.
- ‘The Somerville SNAP Match: The Union, Davis, and Winter farmers markets accept many public benefits, including a $15 weekly SNAP/P-EBT match.
- Somerville Public School Food and Nutrition Services: Stay connected on what’s for lunch and more!
- 9-5-2-1-0 Campaign: Shape Up Somerville, Somerville Public Schools, and Cambridge Health Alliance's campaign to promote balanced, healthy lives.
- Click N’ Cook: Find recipes based on what you have in the house using Click ‘n Cook! Select the items you have to use, and this digital database will find recipes using those items.
- Find Food Resources flyers: Looking for information on Somerville food resources or how to help others get the food they want and need? Find printable flyers here.
- Find food resources and how to help in Somerville on the Somerville Food Coalition’s website.
Learn More:
Learn how Somerville creates conditions to support health:
- Open Space and Rec plan
- Somerville by Design
- Sustainaville and our Climate Forward Plan
- Sign up for the Free Weekly City eNewsletter.
Other related resources:
OFAHC started as a city-academic partnership called Shape Up Somerville. Learn more about this initiative.
- Featured in the book Feeding Cities by Christopher Bosso
- Mayor Curtatone’s Culture of Curiosity - Bloomberg Harvard - City Leadership Initiative
- Community Health and Data reports from Cambridge Health Alliance
- TuftsNow "Parents' BMI Decreases with Child Involved in School-Based, Community Obesity Intervention
- Collective Impact (3-2014)
- Boston Globe (7-9-2012)
- Shape Up Somerville Primer
Do you lead exercise programming or offer nutrition lessons?
No we don't, and here's why: the Office of Food Access and Healthy Communities works to improve the environment we live in: rather than offering exercise classes, we work to make sure that everyone has access to safe active transit like well-maintained bike lanes and wide sidewalks; rather than offering nutrition lessons, we work to make sure that healthy food is affordable and accessible to all in Somerville, even if you don't have a car. However, we would be happy to connect you to places who do offer that programming! Check out our Ways to Get Going and Fresh & Local Food tabs for some of our favorite City resources.
What do you mean by Social Determinants of Health?
The WHO defines the Social Determinants of Health as "conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national and local levels. The social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities - the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries". This CDC infographic highlights how root factors such as income, education, safe neighborhoods and housing impact an individual's health.
What are you currently reading to inform your work?
Glad you asked! Right now, we regularly refer to readings on the MA Food System Collaborative website as well as Food Solutions New England’s 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge. Also, read our Facebook and Twitter pages for some of our past favorites with commentary.
I’d like to learn more about the Office of Food Access and Healthy Communities or past work of Shape Up Somerville, or bring its principles to my community. How can I make that happen?
Visit the The Shape Up Somerville Story tab, which has all of our best background information. If you still have questions after you check out those resources, get in contact with us at the phone number or email provided above and we'll set up a time to meet.
How can I take part in OFAHC initiatives?
Email us at OFAHC@somervillema.gov for volunteer and internship opportunities, or to learn more.
Programs & Initiatives
Established in 2011, The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market is committed to supporting local residents and Massachusetts farmers by bringing healthy, farm fresh produce directly to multiple locations in Somerville.
Did you know you can extend your SNAP dollars with HIP and the Somerville SNAP Match to get fresh, local foods at Somerville Famer’s Markets?
Summer Meals is a totally free-of-charge program that provides free meals to all kids and teens, ages 18 and under, at locations across Massachusetts during the summer months.
Free rides to groceries and medical appointments for transit-dependent Somerville residents with limited incomes.
Want to get out and about as a family? We’ve got the perfect opportunity!
Our Urban Ag program brought first Urban Ag Ordinance in New England, the Urban Ag Ambassadors program, new farms, and more.
Contact Information
Lisa Robinson
Director, Office of Food Access & Healthy Com
Monday - Wednesday
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday
8:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Friday
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Phone Number
x
4312
Email
Address
50 Evergreen Ave.
Somerville, MA 02145
United States
Employee Directory
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