Food access
Affordable, healthy and culturally relevant food for residents who struggle to get enough.
Residents consistently ask for affordable fresh food close to home: markets, grocery stores, pantries and fridges, gardens, and delivery.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
144 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 29 | 2.4% | 18 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 45 | 3.7% | 12 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 70 | 5.3% | 6 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Farmers markets and fresh produce markets
Residents want frequent, affordable neighborhood markets, including open-air markets like Haymarket, and in 2026-27 help paying for produce through farmers market coupons.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Food pantries, community fridges and free food sites
Residents ask for more places to get free food, including pantries, community fridges and surplus-food rescue, and later also ask that fridges be kept in working order.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Affordable community or city-run grocery stores
Residents in neighborhoods they describe as food deserts want an affordable, healthy grocery store nearby, increasingly framed as a city-owned or community-owned store.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Community gardens and growing food locally
Residents ask for funding and space to grow food in gardens, on underused land and in parks so low-income households can get fresh produce.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Bringing food to people who can't easily get it
Residents want food delivered to seniors and people with disabilities, or brought to low-income neighborhoods through mobile trucks and kiosks.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Ideas focused on farmers markets, pantries and fridges, surplus food rescue, and funding for grassroots groups, with several neighborhood-specific asks in Brighton and Allston.
2025–26
Ideas broadened to mobile grocery trucks, community-owned grocery stores and co-ops, pay-it-forward food programs, cooking education, and concern about federal SNAP cuts.
2026–27
Ideas rose to 70 and clustered around city-owned grocery stores, especially at the Blanchards site in Allston, and adding $2 million to the farmers market coupon program.
New in 2026–27
New or growing in 2026-27 are city-owned grocery stores (with many repeated asks for the Allston Blanchards site), a $2 million increase to farmers market coupons, help enrolling in SNAP, home container gardening kits, and free meals for people experiencing homelessness.
Funding so far
Winning projects fund nonprofit food assistance, community gardens and neighborhood fresh food access, but none yet address the recurring asks for city-owned or community grocery stores, farmers market coupons and markets, or food delivery for seniors.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Expand Access to Fresh Foods
2024–25 · $400,000
This proposal will offer grants to nonprofit organizations to bolster assistance programs for Boston residents facing food insecurity.
Community Gardens in Neighborhoods with Limited Affordable Food Access
2024–25 · $500,000 · related theme
This proposal will offer grants to nonprofit organizations to build community gardens on underutilized land for public access and use.
Neighborhood Fresh Food Access Initiative
2025–26 · $500,000
This proposal provides funds to local organizations to increase access to healthy food in neighborhoods with higher food insecurity rates.
Departments that often lead this work
- Office of Food Justice
- Boston Public Health Commission
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Food access
144 ideas
2024–25: 29 · 2025–26: 45 · 2026–27: 70
- More grocery options in East BostonThe resident says East Boston has only one supermarket for about 60,000 people and asks for better food access and more variety of supermarkets and foods.2026–27East Boston
- Well-maintained community fridges and water stationsResident asks for robust, maintained community fridges and water stations that are easy to find, since existing ones often break or are poorly maintained.2026–27City-wide
- City-owned grocery store in Allston liquor store buildingResident asks for a city-owned grocery store in the Blanchard Liquor Store building in Allston.2026–27Allston
- City-subsidized community grocery stores with local produceResident asks for city-subsidized community grocery stores selling local, sustainable produce and meats, because grocery prices leave many unable to afford food.2026–27City-wide
- City-owned grocery store at Allston BlanchardsResident proposes a city-owned grocery store at the Blanchards site in Allston.2026–27Allston
- Expand farmers market coupon program by $2 millionResident asks for $2 million more for the farmers market coupon program, saying it works, helps people eat fresh food and pays local vendors.2026–27City-wide
- City-owned grocery store in Allston Blanchards buildingResident asks the City to convert the Blanchards Liquor Store in Allston into a city-owned grocery store.2026–27Allston
- Add $2 million to citywide farmers market programResident asks for $2 million more for the citywide farmers market program because food is too expensive.2026–27City-wide
- City-owned grocery store at Allston Blanchards siteResident asks the City to turn the Blanchards Liquor Store in Allston into a city-owned grocery store.2026–27Allston
- More money for farmers market couponsResident asks to add funding to the farmers market coupon program.2026–27City-wide
- Pilot city-owned grocery at former South End Foodie'sResident suggests the City pilot a city-owned grocery store at the closed Foodie's site in the South End, to reduce food deserts and possibly replicate elsewhere.2026–27South End
- City-owned grocery stores with local produceResident asks for city-owned grocery stores that sell local produce.2026–27City-wide
- City-owned grocery store at Allston Blanchards siteResident asks for a city-owned grocery store at the Blanchards location in Allston.2026–27Allston
- Add $2 million to farmers market couponsResident asks to increase the citywide farmers market coupon program by $2 million.2026–27City-wide
- Wider access to farmers market coupon programResident asks to increase access to the community coupon program for farmers markets.2026–27City-wide
- Community grocery store at Blanchards in AllstonResident suggests the Blanchards location in Allston should become a community grocery store.2026–27Allston
- City-owned grocery storesResident asks the City to create city-owned grocery stores.2026–27City-wide
- Expand farmers market coupon programResident asks to enhance the citywide community farmers market coupon program.2026–27City-wide
- Community fridge or city grocery for the homelessResident asks for a community fridge or city-owned grocery store to serve people experiencing homelessness.2026–27Roxbury
- More food pantries, job training and public gardensThe resident asks for more food pantries, job training for work access, and public gardens where people can grow fruits and vegetables.2026–27City-wide