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• Located in Western Massachusetts
• Lies between the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range
• Population: 40,124
ETHNICITY
4946
41
HISPANIC- 49% W HITE- 46% BLACK- 4% ASIAN- 1%
OUR ECONOMY • Unemployment Rate: 8.5%
• Median Household Income:
$34,961
• Main Economic Engine: The
Holyoke Mall (7 million in taxes)
-The interior of the Holyoke Mall-
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
1. High school drop-out rate: 48%
2. Highest teen pregnancy rate in the state
3. Poverty level is 4 times the statewide level
4. Highest poverty levels in families led by single women-66% of Holyoke families
5. Food Inequity– the lack of access to healthy foods by low income families; this is a multifactorial problem
-Trash outside an apartment complex in Holyoke, MA-
FOOD INEQUITY Contributing factors:
1. Poverty: healthy food is more
expensive than junk food
2. Low availability of healthy
foods:
local markets sell mostly
processed food
98% of restaurants offer
unhealthy food and fast
foods
Capitalization on
poverty
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #1 FARMER’S MARKETS
The Holyoke Farmer’s Market- every
Thursday from May 20th to October 31st
Sells local farmers’ products
SNAP + SAVE program:
Customers that use their EBT card
(food stamps) receive two products for the
cost of one
SNAP & SAVE EXPLAINED..
For example: If you swipe your EBT card for $10 at a local
farmers’ market, you’ll get $20 worth of tokens to spend on fresh
fruits and vegetables. It’s a great deal!
$10 in SNAP= $20 in tokens
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #2 NUESTRAS RAÍCESNuestras Raices: a non-profit
organization started by Puerto
Rican migrant farmers
Mission: To create healthy
environments, celebrate agriculture,
and advance their vision of a just
and sustainable future”
Own a 30 acre farm called “La Finca”
(The Farm)
The farm promotes the health and
emotional well-being of residents
through the cultivation of culturally
appropriate and locally grown food.
Produced 15 community gardens
within the city of Holyoke, Ma.
Launched a Youth Apprenticeship
program
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS: #3 OUR FOOD PROJECT• Engages
Holyoke families
in community
food
• Pilot Program
with high school
• Offers nutritional
cooking classes
to high school
students
• Created first high
school
community
garden
“This project is teaching students how to cultivate their own food and encouraging them to consume healthier food.” – Project Manager, NeftaliDuran
GLOBAL INNOVATIONS1. Africa: The Hippo water roller-
a drum that can be rolled on the ground, making it easier for those without access to water haul larger amounts of water faster
2. Tokyo: Pasona O2- an urban farm in Tokyo that grows over 100 types of produce indoors, underground, and on the exterior walls of the nine-story office-style building
3. Berlin, Germany: Frisch vomDach- (Fresh from the Roof) An aquaponics project started on the rooftop of a former malt factory
1.
2.
3.
GREEN PROJECTS: ENERGIA
Energy Efficiency in Pioneer
Valley:
Energía, LLC is a socially responsible energy services company that provides energy efficiency upgrades for residential and commercialproperties. Energia, aims to reduce utility costs and energy use throughout western Massachusetts.
Mission:
To create efficient and healthy buildings in the Pioneer Valley.
MGHPCC• Massachusetts Green High
Performance Computing Center- An energy-efficient, high-performance computing center, in Holyoke that opened in 2012.
• Built by a coalition of universities and tech companies
• Computers at the MGHPCC run millions of virtual experiments every month!
Director of Planning and Economic Development at City of Holyoke, Ma.
Developed a $6.6 million
Compact Fluorescent Light-bulb
residential subsidy program,
aimed at working-class and low-
income citizens in Puerto Rico.
Supervised progress of energy
projects under PlaNYC, New York
City’s long-term sustainability plan,
and managed the Public Utility
Service, a business incentive
program with transactions of up to
$5 million every month.