Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/681933
www.wbjournal.com May 23, 2016 • Worcester Business Journal 27 Nat King Cole "You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss. " Standard Time weekdays 3:00 to 6:00 pm. The Great American Songbook and jazz standards. And great radio is still great radio. Herman Hupfield 905 Hartford Turnpike Shrewsbury, MA 01545 508-842-1213 www.elevationee.com NETWORKING MAY 25 Central Mass. Family Business Awards SPONSOR: Worcester Business Journal TIME: 5 to 7 p.m. PLACE: Cyprian Keyes Golf Club, 284 East Temple St., Boylston CONTACT: kprosser@wbjournal.com Family Business Awards celebrate the achievements of a select group of the region's most successful family firms. Business Discussion - "Is there a silver bullet for reaching more customers?" SPONSOR: Wachusett Area Chamber of Commerce TIME: 8 to 9:30 a.m. PLACE: Alden Research Laboratory, 30 Shrewsbury St., Holden CONTACT: Jennifer Stanovich, 508-829-9220, info@wachusettareachamber.org June 3 Connection Sphere - Marketing/Media SPONSOR: MetroWest Chamber of Commerce TIME: 9 to 10 a.m. PLACE: MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, 1671 Worcester Road, Framingham CONTACT: jill@metrowest.org JUNE 9 The Breakfast Club SPONSOR: The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce TIME: 7 to 9 a.m. PLACE: Retrix, 375 Airport Drive, Worcester CONTACT: info@worcesterchamber.org Information Security Summit SPONSOR: Towerwall and MassBay Community College TIME: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PLACE: MassBay Community College, 50 Oakland St., Wellesley CONTACT: Andrea Hamilton, 774-204-0700, andreah@towerwall.com W e know the lack of access to healthy, affordable foods in Worcester undermines not only the health of our children and families, it impedes economic growth. Together, we have an opportunity to increase access to healthy foods and spur economic development, which is why we are asking the legislature and the governor to fund the Massachusetts Food Trust program. Enacted by the legislature in 2014, the program was created to increase access to healthy foods and strengthen economies by providing loans, grants and technical assistance for new and expanded grocery stores, food-based enterprises, local processing facilities and food distribution centers in low- and moderate-income communities. While elected officials, entrepreneurs and advocates agree on the benefits, the program needs funds. Our collaborative project, the Worcester Regional Food Hub, supports a request for $10 million over five years in the Economic Development Bill to cover capital expenses and $500,000 in the fiscal 2017 budget for operating expenses. The Massachusetts Food Trust Program is built on a proven national strategy and can accomplish two key goals. First, it will create new jobs – as many as 5,000 jobs were generated in Pennsylvania via a similar initiative; this can be replicated in Worcester and throughout the state. Second, it will help reduce soaring rates of diet-related diseases. Similar public investments made in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have shown a multiplier effect. For example, $11.8 million of funding for the New Jersey Food Access Initiative has resulted in a $170-million return to date. Why not replicate this in Massachusetts? The Massachusetts Food Trust can catalyze projects like our Worcester Regional Food Hub, a collaborative effort of the R e g i o n a l E n v i r o n m e n t a l C ouncil, the Worcester Regional Chamb er of C o m m e r c e , Q u i n s i g a m o n d C o m m u n i t y College and the Worcester County Food Bank, with generous financial support from the Health Foundation of C e nt r a l Massachusetts. The Food Hub's goals are to build a community where all people have access to affordable, locally sourced and healthier food options, while bolstering our region's economy through improved farmer and consumer networks, targeted workforce development programs and small business incubation. The Food Hub will provide aggregation, marketing and distribution of local farm products, a food service culinary training program and a commercial kitchen incubator. The Massachusetts Food Trust would provide critical resources to support the development of these kinds of innovative approaches in Worcester and throughout Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Food Trust Program will strengthening our region's economy, increase access to healthier food options and promote better health outcomes. Now is the time for the legislature to act and make a wise investment in our communities and the commonwealth. n Timothy P. Murray is president/CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Steve Fischer is the executive director of the Regional Environmental Council of Central Massachusetts. State should put $10.5M toward Worcester food hub BY TIMOTHY P. MURRAY & STEVE FISCHER Special to the Worcester Business Journal Timothy P. Murray Steve Fischer