Erie County designs innovative “Farm to Families” project for families with young children

On Tuesday, May 13 Erie County officials joined with representatives from FreshFix and Candy Land Childcare of WNY to share a recent “Farm to Families” food access initiative that has benefited more than 400 families and several local food producers.  

The Buffalo and Erie County Food Policy Council (FPC) received a $1 million grant from the New York Food for New York Families Program, a project funded through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The grant is part of a statewide initiative to increase access to fresh, local food, particularly in areas where food options are limited. 

With this funding, the FPC launched the “Farm to Families” program, which has provided weekly food boxes filled with local produce to more than 400 families at 23 childcare facilities since December 2024. Participating child care centers serve families that are considered low-income, no-income, and Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed (ALICE), who struggle to access nutritious food. The program prioritizes purchasing fresh produce from local farms, with 85% of the funds allocated directly to buying food grown and produced in Erie County and Western New York.  

“Healthy, accessible food is a basic need and the foundation to healthy child development,” explained Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. "This project is a win-win for helping families with young children have nutritious, delicious products at their kitchen tables, expanding the customer base for local farmers and food producers, and supporting Live Well Erie and Erie Grown initiatives.”   

“Many families in Erie County face the harsh reality of living in areas that have experienced food apartheid, where access to fresh produce is limited and transportation options are often scarce. Combined with the rising cost of food, this creates significant barriers for people trying to maintain a healthy diet,” said Sarah Gatti, FPC Chair and Principal Planner in the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning. “The Farm to Families program brings locally grown produce directly into underserved communities, ensuring that families who are most vulnerable to food insecurity have consistent access to nutritious food.” 

FreshFix, a locally-owned grocery delivery service, provides delivery services to 23 childcare centers each week, where families picked up their packages as they collect their children after care. Each package includes educational materials, like recipes and fact sheets on types of produce.  

“The Erie County Farm to Family Program is a significant investment in local agriculture and the community,” said FreshFix Co-Founder Joshua Bowen. "FreshFix is a local food hub focused on sourcing food from small farmers and producers in WNY and the broader NYS region. The Erie County Farm to Family Program offers our farmer partners a stable and significant demand for their products, without the costs associated with having to market their products. This program also keeps more food dollars in the local economy, which is a boost for the WNY community.”  

The initiative is designed to strengthen the local food system by supporting local farmers and producers, many of whom come from underserved communities, such as Wild Kale, Headwater Food Hub, Fenton’s Produce, Flat 12 Mushrooms, Triple G Farm, Ithaca Milk, Nimble Farm, Native Offerings Farm, and Meadow Creek. Working parents and caregivers who rely on childcare services can pick up their boxes at a convenient location – their childcare center. In addition to fresh produce, families have the option to include milk, eggs and protein products (meat, tofu) in their boxes, further expanding their access to nutritious food. 

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Buffalo and Erie County Food Policy Council: https://www3.erie.gov/fpc/ 

New York Food for New York Families: https://agriculture.ny.gov/new-york-food-new-york-families 

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