We will address the problem of food insecurity in Vermont by providing people with an easy and affordable way to purchase nutritious food. MiddSTART would help us pay for fixed costs involved with starting a project of this size.

By building a market-based, transaction-oriented, and self-sustaining hunger-relief program we will address the wide-spread societal issues that stem from hunger and malnutrition, driven by inadequate access to healthy food options. We will purchase high-quality meats and vegetables, bundling them together in food boxes, to sell on a bimonthly basis at local delivery sites including churches and community organizations. Each box provides a week’s worth of affordable and highly-nutritious food at approximately $1.50 per meal. Through Middlebury Foods, Vermonters will be able to purchase supermarket-quality food at fast-food prices.

We have modeled Middlebury Foods on the Top Box Foods program in Chicago, IL. Their novel approach to food distribution dramatically reduces the cost of healthy food for people of high need. We hope to bring this success to Vermont.

We will have a weekly newsletter and a biweekly video blog detailing our progress throughout the summer. We will also use a variety social media outlets before and during the project.