The Health Foundation provided over $2.8 million for the development of the Worcester Regional Food Hub (Food Hub). The Food Hub was designed to improve the regional food system by strengthening sustainable agriculture, promoting healthy eating, and fueling economic development. The Food Hub works to increase access to fresh local food by providing aggregation and distribution services from farms to institutions, schools, and farmers markets and by incubating local food entrepreneurs through a commercial kitchen and business consulting services.

In January 2019, the Food Hub was awarded a $65,000 Urban Agenda Grant from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development for “Launching Diverse Food Entrepreneurs” (one of nine grant awards across the state). In 2020, the Food Hub was awarded a MassDevelopment Collaborative Workspace Program Fit-Out grant for up to $100,000 to purchase equipment for two of the six kitchen stations planned in Union Station. The Foundation provided the $100,000 match for this grant.

In March 2022, the Food Hub was awarded $3 million in federal funding for the renovation of the Food Hub’s new headquarters at the lower level of Union Station. In January 2022, the Food Hub was awarded $1 million from the City of Worcester’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the Union Station renovation.  In addition, the Food Hub was awarded $500,000 from the Food Security Infrastructure Grant Program at the state level. In total, the WRFB has secured nearly $4.5 million for the renovation.

For more information, visit the Food Hub website.  

News
◊  Food Hub gets $3 million boost
Telegram & Gazette, April 15, 2022
◊ Table Hoppin’: Pop-ups around Worcester
Telegram & Gazette, April 7, 2022
◊ Worcester Food Hub receiving $1 million in ARPA funds to help move to Union Station 
Spectrum News 1, January 15, 2022
◊  Food Hub Graduate Launches Unique Café
Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Winter 2021 Newsletter
◊ Food Hub Offering Pick-Up of Locally-Sourced Food
Spectrum News, April 10, 2020 (Video)
◊ Table Hoppin’: Worcester Regional Food Hub offering pick-up service of locally sourced products 
Telegram & Gazette, March 31, 2020
◊ Meet the chef: Brian Neyenhouse of Nutty Bird Granola
Telegram & Gazette, March 8, 2020
◊ NOMS Eatery: A Pop-Up Success in Local Food Scene
Chamber Exchange The Newspaper, February 2020
◊ Meet the chefs: Bryan Baltazar and Jennifer Palazzo of Noms Eatery
Worcester Telegram & Gazette, November 3, 2019, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ Food Hub graduates 18 from Urban Agenda Grant program
Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, October 8, 2019, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ Chokospice
Edible Boston, September 23, 2019, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ High Interest in Worcester Regional Food Hub’s Diverse Leadership Program Necessitates Increase in Capacity
Chamber Exchange, August 21, 2019, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ Chamber Exchange (Video)
Charter TV3 Central Mass., February 7, 2019, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ Cooking Up Success: The Worcester Food Hub
Edible Boston Magazine, September 20, 2018, Worcester Regional Food Hub
◊ Last Call with Shon Rainford Senior, project manager
Worcester Magazine, June 28, 2018, Worcester Regional Food Hub