Boston Reimbursed More Than $1.8 Million for Emergency Feeding Program Earlier This Year

Release Date Release Number
087
Release Date:
June 25, 2021

REGION 1 – FEMA awarded a $1,876,980 grant to the City of Boston for a program that helped feed thousands who experienced food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every week groceries were purchased, packed into boxes and distributed to approved individuals and families in underserved populations. Two boxes per household were delivered outside the doors of their homes or at nearby sites, such as in the common areas of senior housing.

The city’s Age Strong Commission staff managed the program’s enrollment of participants, maintained a detailed database of all who received deliveries as well as follow-up required to determine continuing needs. Commission staff coordinated daily with partner About Fresh (www.aboutfresh.org), a Boston-based  organization.

This grant covered 100% of the program’s eligible costs submitted by the city from Jan. 4 through April 9, 2021.

This project is funded through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program that reimburses eligible applicants for actions taken in the immediate response and during recovery from a major disaster. Eligible applicants include the state, federally recognized tribal governments, local governments, and certain private non-profit organizations. Project applications are submitted from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), which coordinates the process with eligible applicants.

FEMA awarded funding for this project directly to MEMA who works directly with the applicant to ensure all terms and conditions of the award are met before funding is disbursed.

“We are pleased to provide funds to help feed many Bostonians in need during the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year,” said Acting Region 1 Administrator and Federal Coordinating Officer Paul Ford, who oversees FEMA’s operations throughout New England.

As of June 25, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program obligated more than $741.4 million in 316 projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts. Additional information about the program is at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

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