Four Cape Ann Organizations Benefit From $22 Million in State Grants Amid Federal SNAP Funding Crisis

For organizations like The Open Door, the need is already immense. The Gloucester-based nonprofit distributed 2.35 million pounds of food in 2024, reaching nearly 11,900 people across the communities it serves.”

More than $22 million in state grants to support 113 local food producers and food system organizations have been tapped to address food insecurity in Massachusetts, including four Cape Ann–based organizations.
Among the local recipients are Gloucester’s Backyard Growers ($42,051), The Open Door / Cape Ann Food Pantry ($127,538), North Atlantic Cold Storage ($310,794), and North Atlantic Pacific Seafood ($80,098). The funds are designed to strengthen the state’s food production and distribution sectors, allowing residents greater access to fresh, locally grown and produced food. The grants are made possible through the Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) program, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR).
The announcement comes as the state faces an escalating food-security crisis tied to federal budget gridlock in Washington. On Tuesday, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and 22 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins, alleging the agency is unlawfully suspending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, seeks to maintain SNAP benefits, which are at risk of being halted on November 1 — a disruption that would affect more than 40 million Americans, including hundreds of thousands of Bay Staters.
“We’re asking the court to immediately turn these benefits back on to prevent any harm that will happen not only to our residents, but to our economy because SNAP recipients won’t be the only ones who suffer,” Campbell said during a rally organized by the Make Hunger History Coalition outside the State House. She said Massachusetts families and the state economy face a potential monthly shortfall of nearly $240 million if SNAP benefits stop.
Governor Maura Healey, who has dismissed the idea of using state funds to replace the federal shortfall, recently partnered with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay to launch a response fund. Advocacy groups, however — including the Make Hunger History Coalition — are urging the state to tap its $8 billion rainy-day fund if necessary to keep food assistance flowing. Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy has publicly supported that option.
In announcing the state food grants last week, Healey emphasized that Massachusetts is “stepping up to make sure our communities have affordable, healthy food while also supporting our farmers and local businesses.” She noted that while federal funding cuts continue to squeeze food-assistance programs nationwide, the state is investing in local systems that can withstand such disruptions.
“From our farms to our fishing boats, local food producers are the foundation of Massachusetts’ economy, food security, and community resilience,” said State Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante (D-Gloucester). “Investing in programs like the Food Security Infrastructure Grant helps ensure that when disruptions occur, we have strong, local systems in place to feed our residents.”
Launched in 2020 as a recommendation of the Massachusetts Food Security Task Force, the FSIG program funds capital projects that increase access to locally produced food for families and individuals who may face food insecurity or unequal access to fresh food.
According to the Greater Boston Food Bank, one in three Massachusetts residents faced food insecurity in 2024.
For organizations like The Open Door, the need is already immense. The Gloucester-based nonprofit distributed 2.35 million pounds of food in 2024, reaching nearly 11,900 people across the communities it serves. The group’s work — including local pantries, mobile markets, and nutrition programs — forms the backbone of the region’s food-security network. On Tuesday, Executive Director Julie LaFontaine joined advocates at the State House in Boston, speaking out in support of SNAP on behalf of the organization’s clients during a rally organized by Project Bread and Make Hunger History.
MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle said the grants are helping “modernize and increase [growers’] growing and distribution capacity,” ultimately reducing the state’s reliance on outside food sources.
As federal uncertainty continues, local resilience efforts like those funded through FSIG will likely play an even larger role in keeping Massachusetts residents fed and communities stable.